Truth's Consequences
by Julie Horwitz
Summary: A Mummies Alive!Xena: Warrior Princess crossover novel. My vision of how the series could have continued.
1. Introduction

** Truth's Consequences **

A _ Mummies Alive!/Xena: Warrior Princess _ crossover 

** by **

** Julie Horwitz **

  
  
  


** Disclaimer: **

This story is a work of fanfiction. All characters and situations that appear within are borrowed from both the animated series "Mummies Alive!", which is the property of DIC Enterprises, and the live-action series "Xena:Warrior Princess", which belongs to Renaissance Pictures. The lyrics to the song "Revelation Sunshine" were written by C.S. Francks and G. Bell and are taken from Cree Summer's album "Street Faërie", which was produced by Sony Music Enterprises. The term "International Association of Xena Studies" is taken from the online "Xena" fanzine "Whoosh" (), which is run by Kym Taborn. Everything else, including original characters, is of my own creation.   
  


** Author's Notes: **

This story is designed as a direct continuation of "MA!". It picks up about six months after the final episode.   
I portray the mummies as if they were still alive. Their bodies function as normally as any living human's would. I am aware that many people disagree with this idea, but the show itself pointed to this conclusion. The mummies were hungry, shed tears, and felt pain. Kahti even used a litter box. If you disagree, I hope this does not take away from your enjoyment of the story.   
This story contains violence, strong language, and adult themes. It is not recommended for younger readers.   
I can be reached at the following e-mail address: jhorwitz@hotmail.com   
All questions and comments are welcome.   
Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.  
  
  


** Introduction: **

The story behind this novel goes back to 1998. I was a sophomore at college and I had just accidentally discovered the cartoon "Mummies Alive!". It quickly became one of my favorites and I watched it every day. By early 1999, I had seen all 42 episodes and at least most of them a second time.   
As I watched the show, I became intrigued by the hinted-upon relationship of Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina. It was very obvious that the characters had feelings for each other though the show never did anything about it. I am sure this is because "MA!" was designed as an action-adventure show for little boys. Nevertheless, there were clues strewn everywhere throughout the episodes. So, I decided I wanted to do something about it. And the idea for a novel was born.   
At this time, I had never written a complete story outside of school. My two earlier attempts at novels remain unfinished to this day. However, I was determined that this one _ would _ be completed. Getting Nefer-Tina and Ja-Kal together was my mission and I wasn't about to fail.   
"Xena" was my favorite live-action show at this time and, ever since discovering fanfiction, I had been wanting to write a story for it. My first idea had been to do a trilogy based on the third season episode "The Bitter Suite", but that never materialized. So, when throwing around possible plots for my then-untitled novel, I decided to do a crossover with "Xena" and kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.   
The outline for "Truth's Consequences" took several months to write. There were certain areas of the "MA!" universe I wanted to address and they had to be logically included in the story. By summer 1999, the outline was finished and I was able to start writing in June. It took me over a year to finish the work, which runs thirty-one chapters plus a prologue and epilogue.   
If you have read my "Reality's Prism" trilogy ("Redemption", "Reprisal", and "Retribution"), some of the plot elements, as well as a scene, will seem familar to you. That is because the what-if trilogy was a spin-off from this novel. The novel is meant to be a direct continuation of the series. The "Reality's Prism" trilogy is an alternate reality created from one event that could have happened in the past. Up until that event, the character histories and backgrounds are identical in both works.   
Let me end this introduction by pointing out that when I wrote this novel, it was with the intent to have it published. As time went on and I learned about copyright issues, I realized that was a dream that was not meant to be. So, now, after many years of sitting on it and keeping it out of the public domain, I now present it to you for your reading enjoyment.   
I hope reading it brings you as much pleasure as I had writing it.   
  
  



	2. Prologue to Chapter 2

Prologue:

Amanda Carnovan yawned as she entered her office. She had spent a late night working after taking a whole day to be with her son Presley. As a single working mother, days like this were a rarity.

She hung up her coat and purse on the door and then sat down at her desk. She unfurled the newspaper she had picked up on her way to work in front of her. She yawned again and glanced at the headlines. "Millionaire Harris Stone Still Missing-Police Are Baffled" was scrawled across the top of the page. This story had been making headlines for two months now. 

Amanda had had many dealings with Mr. Stone over the last few years. He was a strange old man with an odd obsession with anything Egyptian but was otherwise harmless. She liked him, in a way, but he never seemed interested in making any friends. He was a recluse with an excessive amount of money he liked to donate to all the right causes. Other than that, no one seemed to know anything about him.

The fact that no one had any knowledge of his habits made it that much more difficult to discover what had happened to him. He had just vanished, without a trace, leaving all his belongings untouched. It was the biggest case in years.

Amanda was jolted out of her musings by a loud knocking at her door. "Come in," she invited the visitor.

The door swung open to reveal her boss, Mr. Hepplewhite. He glanced around the room nervously and shut the door softly behind him.

Amanda was puzzled. This was not like the museum curator. His behavior was out of the ordinary.

"Are you all right, sir?" she questioned.

"Yes, yes. It's just that... Can you keep a secret?" Mr. Hepplewhite queried.

"Of course, Mr. Hepplewhite. What is this all about?" Now, she was very worried. She noticed he was clutching a thin envelope in his hand.

"Here. Read this," he said, handing her the letter.

She took it and pulled the piece of paper from the envelope. Her eyes widened as she read the text. "I can't believe it. These are probably some of the most important artifacts of the century. Our museum is so small. Why send them here?"

Mr. Hepplewhite shook his head. "Never mind that. This is the biggest exhibit to come our way since that failed Egyptian prince one last year. Think of the draw it will have to the public."

Amanda was in complete shock. These items, found in the early 1940s and kept in a secret location by the organization formed for their study, had never been viewed by the public. The information said to be contained within supposedly would change all current knowledge about the ancient world. And, they were coming here, to be placed in the care of one museum for a whole year. 

"How long before they arrive?" she finally managed.

"Two weeks. The contract states that the exhibit must be ready in exactly four months. Can I count on you to handle this?"

"Of course, Mr. Hepplewhite! I still can't believe our luck."

"Yes, well. Just remember, this must be kept a total secret for the next three and a half months. With all the recent break-ins, it's hard to know who to trust. The Xena Scrolls must be protected at all costs."

*** 

A warm breeze rustled the trees in the lush forests of Greece. These beautiful woods had been rumored to be the home of many during ancient times. One such group was the women warriors known as the Amazons. They were the ones Dr. Miranda Larson had come to prove actually existed.

Miranda had spent a great deal of time studying about the Amazons. As head researcher and director of the International Association of Xena Studies, it was a part of the job. A job she loved more than anything. 

The Amazons were a very important part of the history brought to life by the Xena Scrolls. Xena's best friend and sidekick, Gabrielle, who was the author of the Scrolls, had been initiated into one tribe and had served as their queen for a short time. The bard had written a great deal about the society and culture of her adopted people during this period. It provided more information about the warrior women than centuries of research.

Miranda had recently received a tip about a strange finding in a Greek forest by a group of hikers. It was indicated that they had seen the remains of an entire village in the woods. She decided to investigate immediately. If this was the actual site of an Amazon tribe, it would probably be one of the biggest finds of the century. The existence of Amazons had only been speculated, never proven. She hoped to change that perspective.

She had entered the forest two days ago. Today, she had been walking through the woods for hours with no luck yet again. The sun was high overhead, beating down on her. Her blonde hair was plastered to her head with sweat. She was exhausted, but determined to keep on searching. She was not leaving the forest until she found the site. Even if that meant spending several more days there.

She had found the hikers who reported the sighting, but they had not remembered exactly where they had seen it. This had not discouraged her at all. She just became more determined to search the entire forest area. And that was exactly what she was doing.

Up ahead, she saw a clearing in the trees. It would be a good spot to set up a base camp for the night. She glanced at her watch, seeing that she had two hours before the satellite would allow her to call home. That gave her plenty of time to start a fire, pitch her tent, and set up her computer. As she entered the clearing, all thoughts of resting were evaporated. She had found the Amazon site.

Miranda could not believe her eyes. In front of her stood a perfectly preserved village. It has withstood the testament of time, remaining as it had been when the Amazons has lived there. It was better than anything she could have wished for.

Her first reaction was to begin the documentation procedure. She took out her camcorder and just filmed the find as it had been discovered. She found a main pathway through the village that gave her the best overview of the site. As she walked along it, she noticed a smaller side path that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Her curiosity piqued, she turned onto the new road and decided to see where it led.

Miranda decided to save her film, but pulled out her small camera just in case. The path wound deeper into the woods and the trees grew thicker and taller. The sun was almost completely blocked. She began to have second thoughts about this little venture and decided to turn back when her decision was made for her. The path came to abrupt end in front of a small cave.

She pulled out her flashlight and went in to take a closer look. She was amazed at what she found inside. The main chamber appeared to be a shrine for worship. There was an alter covered with ancient offerings and the walls were covered with writing. Miranda immediately realized that it had to be a shrine to Artemis, patron goddess of the Amazons. However, something strange caught her eye.

The writing on the walls was in two very different languages: Greek and Egyptian hieroglyphics. This was very unusual. She read the Greek text and realized she had been mistaken. This was not a shrine to Artemis at all. It was dedicated to another goddess. One Miranda had never heard of. A goddess named Tia. 

Chapter One:

__

The girl walked down the corridor, heading for her room. She was unaware that she was being followed. All she could think about was going to sleep. Behind her, the gap was rapidly closed.

The other silently approached and gave the girl in front a hard, deliberate shove. The girl fell forward, hitting the marble floor hard. The golden helmet that sat on her head tumbled off. Long black hair fell around her shoulders.

_She was momentarily stunned. What had happened? It was almost as if someone had purposely knocked her down. Then, she sensed a presence behind her. She was terrified to look. Whoever had seen her fall now knew her secret. _Oh please don't let it be him_, she thought. _

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the disgraced little girl coming back to where she isn't wanted," a cold cruel voice taunted.

No, no, no! Not her! It was the one woman she was more afraid of than anything. The woman whose hatred of her was almost pathological. To make it worse, she was now his _wife. And, she would never let her forget it. _

"Did you think I wouldn't recognize you? It's painfully obvious who you are. I can't believe anyone was fooled by this pathetic disguise," the older woman continued. She knelt down until she was at eye level with the object of her hatred. "Just remember, I'll_ always know the real you."_

The girl slowly stood up and backed up against a wall. She was trembling with fear. This was the women who had discovered her shameful secret two years ago and made sure she was cast out of the royal court. She had been made an object of derision and disgust. Her own family had disowned her. All for the love of one man.

The woman came close and stood inches in front of the other. "I didn't think you had the guts to pull a stunt like this. Maybe I misjudged you," she said thoughtfully. "On second thought, this is a pretty cowardly way to come back. Pretending to be someone else. What is so important here that you couldn't do in another city?"

"I have been made royal charioteer and a guardian of the prince," she quietly managed. "I did not come back to steal your husband away."

"Good. Just remember, if you so much as look at him the wrong way, I will reveal to the Pharaoh who you are. Rather, who you were," she threatened. A cold smile played on her lips. "The penalty for disguising yourself as a man is harsh enough. Imagine what will happen when it is revealed that you were already banished once?"

The woman turned to leave the frightened girl alone. She began to walk back the other way. The girl knew all too well who was waiting for her at her destination. 

Why had she fallen in love with him? They had never even spoken more than a few words. He did not even know her name. Now, he was her superior and only knew her as a man. She was determined to never let him know how she felt.

Down the hall, the other suddenly stopped and turned back. "Remember, no matter what happens, Ja-Kal is mine...."

*** 

Nefer-Tina awoke with a start. She sat up quickly and swung her feet over the side of the bed. For a moment, she just stayed where she was without moving. She felt the depression threatening to take over again. She had had the same dream over and over. But, it was not just a dream. It was a memory.

She shook her head and tried to collect her thoughts. She had fallen asleep while studying again. Kahti was curled up next to her, purring softly while she slept. Nefer-Tina gave the sacred cat a soft stroke as she stood up. She looked at the digital clock on the table next to the bed. It read 6:15 p.m. It was almost time for her to leave for class.

For almost six months now, she had been attending night classes at the local college. After the last battle, where Scarab was carried off by his own spell gone awry, she had decided to make good use of the freedom from duty while it lasted. She told no one of her activities. Besides, she mused, Ja-Kal would have a fit if he knew.

Ja-Kal. The man she had loved for over 3500 years. She sighed softly. It was a relationship that could never be. Tia had made sure of that.

At the age of sixteen, Nefer-Tina had come to the royal palace in Memphis to serve as a court musician. Each time she performed, she had noticed one man in the crowd. It was Ja-Kal, one of the royal hunters. She immediately developed a crush on him. At the time she did not know he was involved with anyone. It was just an innocent crush that young girls felt for older men. Unfortunately, Tia, his girlfriend, did not see it that way.

Tia was very possessive of Ja-Kal. She did not like the fact that another woman, who was very young and attractive, was looking at her man. She became incredibly angry and jealous and determined to protect what was hers. 

She began harassing Nefer-Tina at every opportunity. She knew the girl was afraid of her; she was counting on it. Fear was a very powerful weapon. A weapon Tia knew how to wield expertly.

Tia made Nefer-Tina's life a living hell. For the five months prior to the incident that changed her life, she could not go a single day without Tia going out of her way to hurt her. Then, four months after that night she would never forget, came that horrible day when Tia found out her secret. 

The following weeks had been completely humiliating. She had been put on trial for something she had no control over. No one had believed a word she said. Her condition apparently spoke for itself. She had been banished from the palace. She tried to go home, but her parents turned their backs on her, their only child. She had no one to turn to. She was all alone in the world.

In the two years that followed, she changed her identity. She became Nefer, a charioteer. Chariots had been her passion all her life. But, because she was a woman, she was not allowed to drive or race them in public. She had had to rely on her strong musical talents to make a life for herself. After her banishment, she had decided to start over, make a fresh start. Chariots were all she had left. Everything else she had loved was taken from her. By becoming a man, she could do things she had always dreamed of and no one would know her.

After winning the Nile Valley Championship, she had been drafted into the services of the pharaoh. The same man who had sent her away two years before. Luckily, no one recognized her. Except one. 

Tia had not been fooled. In the two years that Nefer-Tina was absent, Ja-Kal had asked Tia to marry him, which she happily did. There was no more rivalry. The enemy was gone. Then, Nefer-Tina came back.

In the scene that played endlessly in Nefer-Tina's dreams, Tia let her know she still hated her and that nothing had changed. The fear had not gone away in 3500 years. 

Nefer-Tina had come to love Ja-Kal even more during those two years. He had become the one thing that kept her going. If not for her love for him, she surely would have died. By the time she returned as Nefer, her feelings had far surpassed a crush.

She then found out that he was the head guardian of the then six year old Prince Rapses. He was her superior. She would have to spend hours each day with him and follow every order he gave her. She hid her feelings well over the next several years, although she felt an even greater love as she got to know him better. They became close friends in the six years that followed. 

She knew she could never tell him the truth about her identity or her feelings. He would have been hurt by her treachery, and his honor would cause him to do the right thing by turning her into the pharaoh. He was also incredibly loyal to Tia, who he loved more than anything in the world. 

Nefer-Tina never stopped loving him. Her feelings for him followed her into death and beyond. Now, in the year and a half since their resurrection, nothing had changed for her. She feared his feelings of friendship had been lessened by the revelation that she was a woman, and at first, she was right. He had been hurt deeply by her lack of trust in him and for a while it seemed he hated her. Over time, they had rekindled their friendship, but it was never the same. She could tell he felt differently about her. 

Nefer-Tina gathered her school supplies and other important items in preparation for going to class. She still loved him, but admitted to herself he could never love her. He was dedicated to the memory of Tia and his infant son Padjet, whom he never really knew. She realized if she ever told him, it would destroy the friendship she had worked so hard to rebuild. She looked at her watch and knew it was time to go. She gave Kahti a few more strokes, which caused the cat to roll over on her back. Nefer-Tina smiled and left the room.

*** 

Ja-Kal watched as Nefer-Tina "sneaked" out yet again. This had been her daily routine for almost six months now. He could have stopped her at any time, but decided, with Scarab gone, there was no need to always be ready to protect the prince. He had let her continue with whatever she had been up to.

Tonight was different. He had been aware that something was wrong for about two weeks. Nefer-Tina was not acting like herself. She had become withdrawn, solitary, reclusive. This woman was not the fun-loving, carefree Nefer-Tina he had known since they met. He needed to talk to her.

It was normally easy to get Nefer-Tina into a conversation. Usually, with him, it was an argument of some sort. Lately, however, she had been avoiding him. He did not know why. Had he done something to her that he was unaware of? It was pointless to ask Rath or Armon. They were too caught up in their own interests to notice anything unusual. However, he did observe her talking with both of them. It was only him that she was staying away from.

He began to follow her, wearing his street clothes. Rath and Armon were recharging in their sarcophagi, so they would not notice his absence. He was a hunter. This was what he did best. He was determined to see where she went and what she did every night. Hopefully, he would find an explanation for everything. He was worried about her.

Yes, he was worried about _her_. He had tried to convince himself that he was just concerned with how her behavior would affect the team, but it rang false. Deep down, he knew he had started to care for her as more than just a friend or teammate. She had come to mean a lot to him in the past year and a half.

He had been so cruel to her in the beginning. He had been hurt by her betrayal of his friendship. She had not trusted him enough to let him in. She had been afraid. He had told Nefer things that he never even told his wife. He had come to think of "him" as a part of his family. Family did not keep secrets from each other. Unfortunately, his own brother, Arakh, had not believed in this philosophy either.

Ja-Kal followed Nefer-Tina into the park. Where in Ra's name could she be going? She was on foot, so it could not be very far. She headed for a public restroom and entered it. He waited behind a tree. As soon as she came out, he would be able to continue following her. Ten minutes later, she finally emerged. He hardly recognized her.

Her face appeared to be the color of normal flesh, not its usual hue of bluish-gray. Her hair was still white, but she had neatly braided it. She wore a long sleeve blouse and a long flowing skirt. On her feet were a pair of sneakers. Two gold hoops hung from her ears while her Bastet amulet was still around her neck. She no longer appeared to be a mummy.

He was stunned at the transformation. She had finally found a way to fit in perfectly without the aid of a magic spell. She would no longer stand out from the crowd. For all intents and purposes, she had become a normal person once again. Now, Ja-Kal wanted to know why.

Nefer-Tina started off again with Ja-Kal still on her trail. She crossed the park to the other side where she caught a bus. Ja-Kal called his armor and flew after it. The bus pulled up across the street from what appeared to be a school building. Nefer-Tina got off and headed there. He could not believe it. She was going to school.

This explained a lot. Almost everything she had been doing now made sense. The leaving every night at the same time. The hours alone in which she probably studied and did homework. Was she possibly avoiding him to keep him from finding out? Did she think he would be angry? He thought she knew him better than that. Why would he begrudge her an education?

That was it. In Egypt, women had not gone to school. They had been taught all they needed to know by their mothers. Education was a male institution. But in this modern world, all people were entitled to get an education. Ja-Kal smiled at the thought. Nefer-Tina had finally found a place where she could be herself. A world where women could do everything men could.

He realized there was little he really knew about this woman he had known for over 3500 years. He never once thought that she had an interest in getting an education. She was an enigma to him. Yet, he was pleased with her dedication to her dreams. He felt happy for her.

He found himself once again thinking of her in a way no leader should think of one he commands. Nefer-Tina was a beautiful woman who frequently talked of finding the one true romance in her life, but she was his subordinate. He did find himself extremely attracted to her at times, but it would not be right. After all, he _was_ married. One day he would be reunited with his beloved family. He knew Tia would be waiting for him with open arms.

Nefer-Tina opened a classroom door and disappeared from sight.

Chapter Two: 

In one of the many rooms of the Pyramid, a rip in the fabric of time and space appeared. A purple armored figure burst out, firing energy blasts at unseen targets. An angrily spoken incantation sealed the portal. Scarab had returned.

"That could have gone better," Heka commented sarcastically. She wiggled out of Scarab's grip and dropped to the floor. 

Scarab did not hear her. He was furious. Another victory taken from him by those accursed mummies. They would pay dearly for these last two weeks in hell. He would have his revenge.

"I was so close this time, Heka," he told the golden snake as he recalled his armor. "I almost had my immortality!" In his rage, he blasted a nearby table. 

Heka curled up in a ball, trying to protect herself. "Cheer up, boss. At least we got a vacation out of it."

"Vacation? Vacation?! Do you know what they put me through? The indignities?" he raged. "Do you even have a clue?"

Heka gulped. She had been left alone by the locals since she was an inorganic/non-biological entity. Scarab, on the other hand, was a perfect specimen for the residents of this strange dimension. He had not told her the humiliations he had experienced. She hoped he kept it that way. 

Scarab turned away from his cowering sidekick. He had sufficiently punished her for now. No one would ever know what he had experienced. No one. 

It had all started out so well. He had discovered a spell that opened a gateway to other worlds, other dimensions. He planned to send the meddling guardians through one, not even caring to where. With them permanently removed from the picture, the spirit of Rapses was his. Finally, he would gain immortality and the world.

So, he had set his plan into motion. He lured the boy and the mummies into the open. Unfortunately, he had not counted on Rath being familiar with the spell. The two wizards fought a magic struggle which ended badly. Scarab was knocked into his own trap, taking Heka with him. He was so sure of his victory, he had not really bothered learning the counter spell.

He had found himself on a world of scientists. Biologists, to be more precise. Ones who prided themselves on their thoroughness. Scarab had been seen as the ideal subject. During the two weeks it took him to remember the spell to free himself, he had been the recipient of numerous test and experiments. Many were too humiliating to ever forget.

Now, he was back. It was time to end this little war once and for all. The mummies would regret ever having crossed him. They had made a fool of him once too often.

Scarab left the room, leaving Heka alone. She was out of the path of his anger for the moment. She breathed a sigh of relief and decided to watch some tv. She found the remote and hit the on switch with the tip of her tail. She began flipping from channel to channel until something caught her eye. 

"Uh, boss? I think you need to see this," she called.

"What is it this time, Heka? I'm in no mood for games."

"Well, um, you remember how we thought we were only gone for two weeks?"

"Yes, I know how to keep track of time. You're trying my patience. Out with it," Scarab told her bluntly.

She pointed with her tail. "It seems we were gone a little longer than that."

"What?!" Scarab could not believe his eyes. On the bottom of the screen, the date was displayed. It was a date six months after the time he had become trapped in the other dimension. How was this possible?

Six months! How had he lost six months? It was unthinkable, unacceptable! Blast the space-time continuum! He was running out of time as it was. He needed to get his hands on that stupid child soon.

Then a thought occurred to him. If he had been gone for six months, then that was six months in which no one had tried to attack that pathetic boy. It was very likely his guardians believed he would never return. He could use this to his advantage. It was perfect. All he needed now was a plan. 

"Heka! I am going into my study. I do not want to be disturbed for any reason. Is that clear?" 

The snake nodded. As he walked off, she muttered to herself about never getting any peace and quiet. She resumed her channel surfing. The only thing on now appeared to be the news. _How boring_, she thought. She was about to turn it off when Scarab knocked the controller out of her reach. "Hey," she began indignantly.

"Quiet!" he ordered.

On the screen, a reporter was standing outside the Bay Area Art Museum. With her stood Mr. Hepplewhite, the curator. They were talking about an exhibit that was about to open in two days.

"This a very important exhibit for this museum, " Hepplewhite was saying. "The Xena Scrolls are some of the most extraordinary finds in this century. We are honored to be allowed to host them for a full year."

"The Xena Scrolls? What are they, boss?" Heka wanted to know. She did not see what was so interesting about a bunch of old papers. She still recalled the last time Scarab got his hands on an ancient scroll. The results had been disastrous.

Scarab did not answer her. In fact, he had begun to laugh hysterically. Heka rolled her eyes. She knew this mood and it was not a good one. He had come up with yet another of his hair-brained schemes. Sometimes she wondered why she still put up with him. It was not easy being the evil sidekick.

"Oh, Heka, this is perfect! I will use the knowledge contained within these scrolls to defeat those blasted mummies once and for all. I can almost taste my immortality!" he raved excitedly.

"How do you know what's in them? I've never even heard of them," Heka replied. She was not impressed with these turn of events.

"My dear, uninformed Heka. These so-called 'Xena Scrolls' are said to contain all the knowledge and power of the ancient world. With them in my possession, I will be unstoppable!" 

"Uh-huh," Heka said in a sarcastic tone. She once again shook her head and crawled into her urn to go to sleep. Maybe he'd calm down in the morning. She wondered if those scientists had done something to his mind. He was making less sense than usual.

Scarab was ecstatic. The Scrolls would allow him to explore the magic of ancient cultures other than his native Egypt. He could not fail. There were endless possibilities to explore. The world had just inched closer to his grasp.

*** 

"Oh, Mom! Do I have to go?" Presley Carnovan complained. "It'll be so boring!"

"But, I thought you liked the ancient world. Besides, I really want you to see this. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience," his mother, Amanda, countered. She glanced at the thirteen year old across the dinner table. "We've been spending so much time together lately. I've really enjoyed it."

Presley smiled. Ever since Scarab disappeared six months earlier, his life had not been endangered once. He had begged Ja-Kal to give him some time away from his studies with the mummies so he could be with his mother. He saw so little of her as it was. The leader, stubborn as always, had quoted yet another animal morality tale before Nefer-Tina had stepped in to support her prince. Ja-Kal finally gave in and Presley thanked both profusely.

Amanda had noticed an immediate change in her only child. There was no more coming home very late or mysteriously bruised. The convoluted explanations of his whereabouts had ended. They had been getting along better than ever. She was so happy that she never questioned it. 

"Oh, okay. I'll go," he finally answered. 

"Thank you, honey. This means a lot to me."

"What's so special about some scrolls about a girl? Who was this Xena?"

Amanda laughed. "This 'girl' was one of the greatest warriors who ever lived. She was a powerful force for good. However, at one time she was an evil warlord. She was known as the 'Destroyer of Nations.'"

"Cool! Maybe this won't be so boring after all," he finally conceded.

She cocked an eyebrow. "I'm glad you think so. I'll have to tell Mr. Hepplewhite that we have your seal of approval."

"Mom!"

"Just kidding!"

They ate in silence for a few more minutes. Presley realized he would have to tell Ja-Kal where he was going. Man, that guy never let up with the protection! If it wasn't for Nefer-Tina, he would never have gotten to spend any time alone with his mom. At least he'd have someone to talk to at the opening. His mother would be too busy running things. He imagined it would be fun explaining to them that the entire exhibit was dedicated to a woman. Nef would get a real kick out of it. He'd bet anything that Rath would try to act like he knew all about everything mentioned in the Scrolls. And, Armon. Well, he'd probably spend the whole time at the concession stands. He wondered what Ja-Kal would think of it. You never knew with him.

A thought suddenly occurred to Presley. "Mom, have you heard from Dad lately?" Ever since the incident in which his father met his guardians and fought Scarab, Paul Carnovan had been making an effort to pay more attention to Presley.

Amanda hesitated. She had gotten a letter from him all right, but Presley would not like what it contained. Paul had gotten himself thrown in jail in South America. He had been caught smuggling priceless museum pieces out of Brazil. She knew that he had always been a liar but not a thief. _He must have really fallen on hard times_, she thought. She decided to keep Presley in the dark about this for now. "I'm sorry, honey. I haven't heard from him," she lied.

The boy frowned. "Oh. He must be really busy with his job."

Amanda got up and walked over to him. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll hear from him soon." 

"I guess." Suddenly, he grinned. "So, do I have to wear some monkey suit to that opening?"

Amanda laughed and tousled his hair. "Hmm, I don't know. How about that cat suit I had to wear during the Bastet exhibit?"

"Mom!"

  
  



	3. Chapter 3 to Chapter 5

Chapter Three:

"Freedom! The evil professor has finally let us go!" Kaitlin Peters shouted as she burst out of class.

"Kait! Can't you try to act your age just this once?" Matthew Covington, her best friend, asked innocently.

"Well, what do you think, Tina? Should I try?" Kait inquired, turning to her newer friend. 

Tina, really a disguised Nefer-Tina, laughed. "Nah!"

"I rest my case. Matt, now you must be punished for your sin. I sentence you-"

"Please, not that! Anything but that!" he playfully cut her off.

"-to dinner duty! For a whole week!" she finished triumphantly.

"No!" Matt howled in mock distress. 

Nefer-Tina swatted at Kait. "How could you be so cruel?"

"Easily. He's the only one of us who can cook, silly. Besides, I do love to see a man sweat," Kait said.

"But, Kait, I don't see any men here," Nefer-Tina deadpanned, looking straight at Matt.

"Tina! Who's the cruel one now?" Matt retorted.

The threesome burst into hysterics. Kait was laughing so hard she bent over, clutching her stomach. People passing by just shook their heads. This had become routine for the trio in the last six months.

"Hey, what did you think of that legend we studied today, the one about the girl who turned into a spider?" Matt finally managed, catching his breath.

"Who, Arachne? She deserved everything she got. She had the audacity to think she was better than a god. Although, I think Athena let her off too easy," Kait declared. 

Matt shook his head. "I disagree. Athena was overreacting. She let the petty boasts of one mortal bother her so much. She should never have lowered herself to Arachne's level."

"Why not? A goddess has every right to defend their reputation from being soiled. Arachne was the bad guy in this story, not Athena."

"You guys, I hate to break up this little debate of yours, but I have to go to work. Much as I'd love to stay and hear you finish, I have a tuition to pay," Nefer-Tina interrupted.

"That's right. The mysterious job you got back at the beginning of last semester. So, when are you gonna tell us what it is?" Kait asked.

"I'm not. You'd laugh, " she told her.

"You're right. She would," added Matt, who received a nasty glare from Kait. "However, the two of us took matters into our own hands and followed you one night."

"You what?!" she gasped. _Oh no_, she thought. How much had they seen?

"We saw the nightclub," Matt told her. "Moon Zone, I think it's called."

"If it make you feel any better, we didn't go in. We both had early classes the next morning. But, we've been trying to guess what you're doing there," Kait chimed in. "So, we've narrowed it down to two jobs."

Nefer-Tina let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. They didn't know the truth. Her identity was safe for now. "Really? All right, let's hear what you really think of me!"

"And the winners are: stripper or hooker!" Matt announced.

"What?! Oh my gods! How could you say that?" she exclaimed. "Trust me, no man would ever want to see _that_ much of me."

"Are you kidding? Tina, take it from me, a hot-blooded, all-American male: you are a total babe," Matt told her.

"Thanks. I think. I gotta go now. Bye!" She started to walk away.

Kait and Matt waved good-bye to her and then hugged each other. Kait started to head for her car and then changed her mind. She ran after Nefer-Tina, shouting, "Hey! Wait for me!"

Nefer-Tina turned around and let her catch up. "Come to finish what you started?"

"Nah! Man, I'm telling you, I'm gonna kill him! I had nothing to do with it! Honest! It was all Matt's idea!"

"Uh-huh. And, I'm the daughter of a Nile crocodile. We both know who's the fearless leader of this bunch."

Kait grinned. "Darn! I was _this_ close to fooling you."

"I'm ashamed of you. Blaming everything on your 'true love.' What is this world coming to?"

"Tina! Say it a little louder, why don't ya? He might hear you!" Kait exclaimed.

"Get real. He's all the way across campus by now. Besides, don't you think it's time you told him how you feel?" she asked her.

Kait blushed, "I don't know. I mean, we've been best friends since we were really little. I've only started feeling this way about him two months ago. It'd be too weird."

Nefer-Tina weakly smiled. She knew exactly how Kait felt, probably more than anyone else ever could. At least Kait had a chance at finding true happiness with the one she loved. She did not have that luxury. She would be alone for as long as she existed. She felt the depression returning. 

Kait noticed the sad expression on her friend's face. "Are you all right? Is there something the matter?"

"It's nothing. I-I'd better go now. I'll be late," she told her. The tears were coming back and she did not want Kait to see her cry. She never wanted anyone to ever see her cry. 

Kait was worried. Tina never acted like this. Something was terribly wrong. She had to find out what and see if she could help. She hated seeing anyone she cared about so sad.

As Nefer-Tina walked away, she let the tears begin to fall. She was a fool for still loving him after all this time. She knew he would never return her feelings. It was just not meant to be.

"Tina, please, don't leave yet," Kait pleaded as she caught up with her. "Tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help."

She quickly stopped crying and wiped her face before turning around to face Kait, hoping her make-up had not come off. "There's nothing you can do. Nothing anyone can do," she quietly said. "I'm all alone in this."

"Can't you at least tell me what it is?"

She smiled sadly. "I can't. I'm sorry. I have to go." 

With that she turned away and walked off into the night. Kait soberly watched her go. Maybe, when she was ready, Tina would open up to her. Until then, there really was nothing she could do to help.

Kait slowly started walking to her car. 

*** 

Ja-Kal had witnessed the entire exchange. First, the giddy trio leaving a class in good spirits and then, the conversation that ended with a very sad Nefer-Tina evading her friend's questions. He had known that something was very wrong with his teammate. Now, his suspicions were confirmed.

In all the time he had known her, Nefer-Tina had never acted this way. She was generally in a fun mood, ready to take on any challenge. This behavior did not fit her at all. He hated seeing her this way.

Ja-Kal continued following her. He could tell she was fighting back tears as she walked along. What could possibly be bothering her? What could have happened to turn such a normally happy individual into this emotional wreck? He resisted the urge to go and comfort her.

He caught himself thinking about her in an inappropriate context again. Why was he feeling that way towards her? He knew he loved his wife and family with all his heart. He longed to be reunited with them beyond the Western Gate once his duty ended. But, he still could not deny his attraction to Nefer-Tina. 

He watched her walk, an aura of sadness and depression surrounding her. The only woman he had ever had romantic feelings for besides Tia, his first love and his beloved wife. His own feelings aside, he needed to know what was causing her this pain. In her current state, she would be of no use as a guardian to the young prince. That was the reason he was following her. At least, that was what he kept telling himself.

She finally appeared to reach her destination. It was indeed a nightclub, as her friend had said. And, it was called "Moon Zone." A long line wrapped around the building, many people waiting to get in. It was obviously a very popular gathering place. There were advertisements for a singer named Tina Niles performing nightly. He wondered if this artist was the main draw of the establishment. 

Nefer-Tina avoided the line and circled to the back of the building. Ja-Kal followed and saw her stop in front of a door marked "Staff Only." She pulled it open and disappeared inside. He had no choice but to return to the front and get into the line. He hoped he would be able to find her once inside.

Twenty minutes later, he was in. Luckily, the bouncer was lax about checking identification of prospective customers. It was a glitzy affair, with low lights and loud music. The theme appeared to be the moon and planets. The only strange part was that the waitresses were dressed in short sailor suits. The significance of this was lost on him.

He looked around for Nefer-Tina. She was nowhere in sight. People were dancing wildly on the dance floor, but she was not one of them. He finally gave up for a while and took a table in the rear. He had a clear view of the entire club and would be able to see her when and if she appeared.

Suddenly, the lights got even lower and a spotlight lit up the stage. A man wearing a caped tuxedo complete with top hat and a mask stepped in front of a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Moon Zone is proud to present an extraordinary talent. A singer who will captivate you as she takes the stage. Put your hands together for a very special lady: Miss Tina Niles!"

The man stepped off to the side as the curtain parted. The stage was very dim. The band was silhouetted as they began to play. Upbeat intro music filled the room as a female form walked to the center of the stage, keeping her back turned to the audience. Male hoots and hollers were emitted from all over the club. The singer tapped her foot and rocked her body with the beat. Finally she turned around and began to sing. Ja-Kal was shocked. It was Nefer-Tina.

Did you see,

Was I obvious?

Could you tell?

I did try to hide it.

We can't have,

Can we try to share?

I did try to take it.

When I look,

I see you in me.

I don't want to fight it.

Shelter us from the storm.

It's so warm,

I get lost inside it.

As she sang, she sauntered off the stage and into the audience. She was wearing a very short, tight skirt with a equally tight tank top which was covered by a sheer blouse. Her long hair tumbled down over her shoulders. On her feet were high-heels. She exuded sex appeal and confidence as she moved. Ja-Kal could not believe this was the same Nefer-Tina he had just seen a short while ago. This woman acted like and knew she owned the stage

As she reached the first chorus, she stopped at a table with two men sitting at it. She put her hands on the shoulders of the first one and leaned over to the second one as she sang: 

Out of my mind,

Into yours.

She quickly moved to the next table, this time occupied by two couples. She looked at the first man and pointed to him as she repeated the choral verse.

Out of my mind,

Into yours.

As she continued into the next verse, she went from table to table, always toying with the men sitting there even if they were with a date. 

Take it slow,

We got time to find it.

We don't have to chase it.

Got no push,

Got no shove.

We just got love,

We don't have to force it. 

Ja-Kal sat watching her every move. He was entranced by her performance. He had no idea that she possessed this kind of talent. The only other time he had heard her sing was when he had ordered the team into a nightclub to hide from the police. He had not paid attention to where he was going and had ended up at the stage entrance during an open mike night.

Desperate for money to take the subway, he had "volunteered" the entire team to perform. Nefer-Tina had not hesitated once on stage and headed directly for the microphone. She had improvised a song on the spot, displaying a cool head in a hectic situation. She had been good, even stuffy Rath had admitted that. But, that performance paled in comparison to this. This was a polished presentation in which she was extremely relaxed. She was excellent.

She finished a longer version of the chorus and started heading back to the stage. Luckily, she had not reached the back of the club. Ja-Kal did not know how'd she react if she saw him. He was glad he did not have to find out.

We got change,

It's changing all the time.

You got yours and I got mine.

Promise me that you won't promise me.

Revelation sunshine.

Because I'm....

This time the chorus repeated several more times than before. As she worked her way back to the front, she still flirted with every man she came across. That bothered Ja-Kal. It bothered him a lot. 

Nefer-Tina finally reached the front of the club and ascended the stage stairs. She entered the last verse and finished her song.

Love

Love is

Love is all

Love is all around

Love is all around us

Love is all around us

Look

Love is all around us

Look around

As the song faded away, the audience went wild. Nefer-Tina bowed and motioned for her band mates to stand up and receive applause as well. This went on for a few more minutes before the curtains closed, indicating the end of the performance. This was a one-song show.

Ja-Kal was in his seat, his mind racing. How had she had managed to pull off this double life for the past six months? Every night she left the Sphinx to go to college and then sing for her tuition. It was an amazing feat, something very few could ever handle.

He was also angry at himself for letting her innocent flirting bother him so much. Why was he jealous? She was not his lover, only his friend and teammate. _I'm married. I have no right to think of another woman like that_, he thought. 

His emotions confused him. How could he feel this way towards Nefer-Tina? He still loved his long-lost family. A family he had ultimately failed, as he had failed his pharaoh. 

He wished he knew what happened to Tia. He had left her a widow with a young son. Did she hate him for leaving her alone? How had they managed? Where had they gone? Did Padjet grow up to be a better father and husband than he had been? These questions plagued him endlessly. Questions he knew would never be answered.

His thoughts returned to Nefer-Tina. Could he risk hurting her the same way? She deserved more than he could ever give her. Besides, what kind of a life could they have together? They were mummies reanimated with one purpose: to protect the reborn prince from Scarab. They had no time to worry about affairs of the heart. They had a job to do.

Ja-Kal rose from his seat. It was time to return to the Sphinx. There was nothing more he could do this night.

Chapter Four:

Dr. Miranda Larson approached the main entrance of the San Francisco Bay Area Art Museum. She had a meeting with the woman in charge of the Xena Scrolls Exhibit, someone named Carnovan. They had briefly spoken on the phone a few times over the last four months.

As she entered the building, Miranda noticed how small it was. Again she wondered why Janice and Mel had insisted on this particular one. The two founders of IAXS, Janice Covington and Melinda Pappas, must have had their reasons, but Miranda could not figure it out. There were so many larger and well-known museums all over the city. What was so special about this one? How had they even known about it?

She spotted the information desk and headed towards it. A woman in a business suit was standing in front of the desk. Miranda approached her and tapped her shoulder.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, I have an appointment to see Amanda Carnovan."

"You're looking right at her. I'm Amanda," the woman replied. "Dr. Larson, I presume?"

"Please, call me Miranda," she smiled. "Shall we get started?"

"By all means. Follow me to my office. I think you'll be more comfortable there."

Amanda led her down several hallways until the reached an office door with her name on it. She opened the door and motioned for Miranda to proceed her. Miranda entered and took a seat in front of the desk. She looked around and saw that there was a lack of any personal touches. The office appeared to only be functional, nothing more.

"I know it's not much, but it serves its purpose," Amanda commented as she sat down. "I want people to focus on me, not the room. It's good for business."

Miranda nodded, "I never thought of it that way. It makes sense. The less distractions, the more time to get down to business. I like it."

"Thanks. How about you? How do you keep your workspace? Is it covered with pictures of your family?"

"I don't have a family. I'm divorced," Miranda told her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

She smiled, "You didn't. Craig and I separated a long time ago. We didn't have any children. We were married only two years. And you?"

"Divorced," Amanda said. "I have one child, a son. My pride and joy," she said while opening her purse. "The bane of my existence." Miranda laughed as Amanda handed her a small photo.

"Oh, he's so cute! What's his name?"

"Presley. He's thirteen years old."

"Ooh, the teenage years! I remember those. Unfortunately, so do my parents."

The two women laughed as a knock sounded at the door. Before Amanda could respond, the door was swung open. In the frame stood a tall, imposing older man. 

"Mr. Stone! This is a complete surprise. When did you get back? People have been worried about you."

"I assure you, Ms. Carnovan, no one was _worried_ about me. I returned last night from a personal trip. I have found the reports of my alleged disappearance to be quite amusing," Harris Stone said. 

Amanda turned to Miranda. "Dr. Miranda Larson, I'd like you to meet Mr. Harris Stone, one of the museum's greatest patrons and benefactors. Mr. Stone, this is Dr. Larson of the International Association of Xena Studies. She's here to help with our newest exhibit."

Stone reached out to shake Miranda's hand. She took it. His skin was ice cold. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Larson. I hope your dealings with Ms. Carnovan have been most pleasant."

"Likewise, I'm sure," she answered coolly. There was something about this man. He sent shivers down her spine. Miranda had a very strange feeling about him.

Turning back to Amanda, Stone said, "What is this new exhibit I have been hearing about? It must have come during my vacation."

"The Xena Scrolls. Yes, they arrived about two months after you, um, disappeared. If you'll both follow me," Amanda gestured.

Amanda led them back to the central part of the museum. Then, she herded the two of them down a closed off passage way.

"We were ordered to keep this exhibit hidden from the public until the official unveiling. So far, we've been pretty successful. You two will be the first members of the public to see it," Amanda told them as they walked. "We have been putting this together for four months now. We're rather proud of how it turned out. Here we are."

They had stopped in front of a black curtain with a "Do Not Enter" tape blocking any attempt at entering. Amanda lifted the tape up and stepped under it. Her companions did the same. She then parted the curtains and walked through.

The room was dark except for the faint glowing of electric security panels. Amanda reached out and switched on a light. The sight that greeted them was spectacular. It was the finished Xena Scrolls Exhibit.

"This is the most expensive exhibit we have ever hosted at this museum. Mr. Hepplewhite expects this draw a lot of publicity for us. And that usually also brings unwanted attention as well. So, we have installed an extensive security system to protect our investment," Amanda explained. "The number of break-ins have been astronomical for the past year or so. Luckily, the past six months have been rather quiet."

"Break-ins? Which exhibits have been hit the most?" Miranda queried.

"Mostly the Egyptian ones. We never had any problems until the arrival of the Prince Rapses Exhibit over a year and a half ago. It's almost like it was cursed or something."

Stone smiled slightly at the mention of this. "I wouldn't be surprised if the mummies came to life as well."

"Let's hope they never do," Miranda added. 

"Getting back on track, I'll show you the entire exhibit and explain all the security measures to you. You should be quite satisfied with the finished product," Amanda told Miranda. "These scrolls are a remarkable discovery that the entire world should see."

"Yes, quite remarkable," Stone murmured to himself.

*** 

Presley stepped off the school bus and shouted good-bye to his friends. He reached into his pockets and found his house key. He only planned to dump his school books before going to visit the mummies. He had to tell them about the exhibit.

Five minutes later, he was skateboarding towards the bay. He loved the feel of the pavement under his wheels. This was truly the best way to travel. Well, the best for another three years, that is.

Presley stopped outside the front of the Sphinx. He jumped off his board and used his Eye of Ra amulet to open the door. He hoped they weren't recharging in their whatchamacallits. After all this time, he _still_ couldn't pronounce that word right. He entered the main chamber. There was nobody around.

"Guys? Anybody here? Ja-Kal? Rath?" There was no response. He decided to check the garage next. Maybe Nefer-Tina was working in there. She'd love to hear about the new exhibit. 

Presley continued on deeper into the Sphinx. Finally, he saw somebody. It was Ja-Kal. He was standing just outside the doorway into the garage. As far as Presley could tell, he appeared to watching something intently.

"Hi, Ja-Kal," Presley greeted the head guardian.

Ja-Kal, startled out of his private thoughts, turned to Presley. "Greetings, my prince."

"What's going on in there? What are you looking at?" Presley asked, trying to see past the large man.

"Uh, nothing of importance. Let us go and talk. Tell me of your day," Ja-Kal said, steering the boy back towards the main living space.

Presley, still too young to notice certain things, shrugged and went with him. As they arrived at their destination, Rath and Armon were already sitting in front of the "magic box," watching some talk show in which chairs were being thrown.

"Hi, Presley," Armon said cheerfully. "Bring anything to eat?"

Rath snorted. "Isn't there anything else you ever think about?"

"Uh, no. Food is just about it," Armon responded matter-of-factly. 

Presley laughed as Rath rolled his eyes skyward in disgust. "Sorry, not today. I do have some really cool news though. Where's Nef? She'll like this."

"What will I like, young prince?" Nefer-Tina asked as she entered the room.

"This new exhibit at the museum that opens tomorrow night. There's going to be a huge opening celebration. My mom put it together, so she's dragging me to the opening."

"Then we will be there as well," Ja-Kal announced. "There is no telling what dangers may be there."

"Or, you could just go and enjoy yourselves," Presley added. He grinned, "But, I knew you'd say that." He sat down on the floor next to a sleeping Kahti. "Here's the real cool part: the whole exhibit is dedicated to the adventures of a warrior woman from ancient Greece named Xena."

"Xena, the Warrior Princess?" Nefer-Tina breathed excitedly. Ja-Kal turned to look at her. She looked happier than she'd been in days.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Presley asked, surprised.

Nefer-Tina shrugged. "I read about her in a magazine. She was supposedly one of the greatest warriors in history."

"A woman warrior? What sort of primitive culture allowed a woman to become a warrior?" Rath wanted to know. 

Presley noticed Nefer-Tina tense up, but she did not give Rath an argument. It was not like her to pass up an opportunity to give him a piece of her mind regarding his sexist comments, but Presley made nothing of it.

Ja-Kal, however, did. This was another indication that she was not herself. After what he saw the night before, he was even more determined to find out what was bothering her. His next question, "What time is this event?" was designed to get a reaction from her.

"It starts at seven-thirty, but Mom has to be there real early. I don't think I have to be there until the doors open. Mom trusts me to come on my own," Presley told them.

Ja-Kal watched Nefer-Tina. This was during her class. He expected her to make some excuse to get out of guarding the prince so she could go there. She didn't. In fact, she seemed to be genuinely excited about seeing the exhibit. This was like the Nefer-Tina he knew.

He decided to follow her again that night. He had a plan to get her to finally talk to him.

Chapter Five:

The classroom was rapidly filling up as Nefer-Tina walked in. She sat down at her desk and took out her notebook and text. She was ready for another night of learning.

She loved going to school. It was another thing she was not allowed to do when she was in Egypt. Women were taught at home by their mothers and hers had instructed her in the musical and domestic arts. She had always wanted to gain knowledge and learn. Now, in this modern world, she had her chance.

Entire new worlds were being opened up to her. She felt like she was a whole new person, the person she was always meant to be. She truly belonged in this time. She had been born in the wrong time and place. She was getting a second chance at the kind of life she had dreamed of for so long.

Kait and Matt finally arrived, plopping into their seats and giggling wildly.

"What's so funny?" Nefer-Tina wanted to know.

"Mr. Master Chef here made a little mistake while preparing my dinner," Kait told her.

"It's not my fault!" Matt defended himself. "Anyone could do the same thing."

"This I gotta hear. It better be good," Nefer-Tina said. 

"Oh, it's good. Trust me," Kait told her confidently. "Well, I made Matt come over to make me dinner since that's his punishment for this week. Anyway, he told me to put out certain items he needed for this dish he was gonna make. One such item was some cooking wine, which I keep in a glass jar."

"She also forgot to mention she keeps her liquid soap in a glass jar next to the sink," Matt added.

Nefer-Tina gasped, "You didn't!"

"Yep, the idiot put soap in my food. I knew he was mad, but this is ridiculous," Kait said.

"Ew! Remind me to never ask him to cook for me," Nefer-Tina stated.

"Thanks for the confidence, Tina. Some friend you are," Matt said.

"At least I don't think you take off your clothes for a living," Nefer-Tina reminded him.

"Very funny. Are you ever gonna let me live that down?" Matt wondered.

"Not if she's smart," Kait put in. "I, for one, will never let you live anything down."

"Miss Peters, if you're through," Dr. Michelle Raymond said as she entered the classroom. " I have an announcement to make."

"Sure thing, Doc Raymond. The floor is yours," Kait told her.

The professor smiled at her before turning back to the class. "As I'm sure all of you are aware, there is an exhibit opening at the Bay Area Art Museum tomorrow night. Since it deals with our current unit of study, I am canceling class tomorrow." A chorus of cheers erupted from the audience. Dr. Raymond cleared her throat," I didn't say you were getting off that easy." This was followed by a burst of laughter. "You all must go to the exhibit and stay for the lecture being given by Dr. Miranda Larson, the woman responsible for bringing the Xena Scrolls to San Francisco."

Kait and Matt high-fived each other. "Aunt Miranda's giving a speech? Cool!" Kait said excitedly.

"You two know her?" Nefer-Tina asked surprised. "Is she really your aunt?"

Matt shook his head. "No, she's just an old family friend. Our grandmothers own the organization she runs, the International Association of Xena Studies. They kind of 'adopted' her when she came to work for them. She's only about ten, fifteen years older than us, but we call her 'Aunt Miranda' as a joke."

"You'll like her," Kait added.

"As I was saying," Dr. Raymond continued, ignoring Kait, Matt, and Nefer-Tina, "you all must attend the lecture tomorrow. Expect a quiz on Monday."

The class groaned in unison.

*** 

Dr. Raymond let class out a few minutes early and most of the students ran out the door, hoping to take advantage of their extra free time. Kait, Matt, and Nefer-Tina walked out together as usual.

In the middle of the conversation, Kait remembered something she wanted to ask Tina. "Matt, hold up a second. I think I left something in the classroom," she lied. "Tina, keep me company."

Nefer-Tina shrugged at Matt and followed Kait back into the building. "What did you forget this time?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to talk to you. I was worried about you last night. Are you sure you're okay?" Kait asked. "You looked terrible when you left me."

Nefer-Tina smiled gratefully at her friend. "I'm fine. I was having a bad day yesterday, that's all. I'm sorry I worried you."

"Hey, what are friends for? I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Next to Matt, you're my closest friend," Kait told her. "Speaking of that guy, he's probably wondering what's taking us so long."

"Yeah. Who knows what kind of trouble he'd get himself into without us," Nefer-Tina grinned. 

The two women headed back outside. Matt was waiting for them on a bench.

"Hey, what took you so long? I was beginning to think you were ditching me," he complained lightheartedly.

"Kait couldn't find anything, so we had a little girl talk," Nefer-Tina told him.

"Oh, is that all?" he said.

They talked for a while longer. They were all excited about going to see the new exhibit. Kait was especially looking forward to seeing Miranda again, since she was the one who inspired both she and Matt to study archaeology and ancient cultures.

Finally, it was time for Nefer-Tina to head off to work. The threesome said their good-byes and they split up. However, neither girl saw Matt linger and start after Nefer-Tina.

"Hey, Tina, can I talk to you a minute?" he called after her.

Nefer-Tina stopped and turned to see Matt coming up behind her. "Sure. What's up?"

Matt cleared his throat and looked at his feet. "Well, uh, I was wondering, since, you know, we're all going to that exhibit, uh," he stammered nervously.

"Yes?" she asked expectantly.

"Um, would like to go with me?" he finished shyly.

Nefer-Tina was stunned. "Matthew Covington, are you asking me on a date?"

"Uh, yeah," he said. "I guess I am."

She could not believe this. Matt liked _her_, but Kait liked him. How could she not have noticed it before? And, she thought she had romantic problems. 

"Oh, Matt, I don't know what to say. I'm flattered beyond words," she began.

"I hear a 'but' coming," Matt said. When he looked up at her, he smiled weakly. "I'm right, aren't I?"

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Yes. I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt that way about me."

"Hey, don't sweat it. Most girls I like never do."

"That's not true. I know for a fact that there's a very special girl waiting for you to notice her."

"Really?" Matt asked surprised. "Who is it?"

Nefer-Tina grinned mischievously. "I'm sworn to secrecy. You're on your own. Good luck."

"Thanks a lot. You're a real pal," he told her sarcastically.

"And you're a sweetie for thinking of me. It's not often I get asked out."

"Are you serious? I'd think there'd be a ton of guys knocking down your door to go out with you. I meant everything I said about you being a babe last night," he told her truthfully. "Plus you're smart, funny, and nice. Qualities all guys want in a girlfriend."

"Thank you," Nefer-Tina smiled.

"I just can't believe a gorgeous woman like you is all alone. There has to be someone waiting somewhere for you to come along."

"Well, there actually is someone special out there," she admitted quietly, a sad look in her eyes. "Someone I care about a great deal."

"Does he know?"

She shook her head. "No, and he never will."

"Why not? Why can't you ever tell him? It's pretty obvious you got it bad for him. I'm a guy and even _I_ can tell," Matt said seriously. "Are you afraid of what he might say?"

She avoided his eyes. "Please, Matt. I-I can't talk about this anymore. I have to go now. I'll see you at the museum tomorrow night."

"All right, Tina. See you then," he agreed.

*** 

For the second time in two days, Ja-Kal was left deeply disturbed by Nefer-Tina's behavior. Tonight's episode was not as bad as the previous one, but he could tell something was still very wrong. His earlier hopes that she was feeling like her old self died listening to her speak with her friend. What was wrong? And who was this "special someone" she could never admit her feelings to?

He felt the jealousy coming back at the thought of Nefer-Tina's secret love. What was wrong with him? He had no right to feel this way about her. He had the memory of his wife and son to hold on to. His love for them was what should matter most. Besides, it was clear that she had found someone that she loved very much. So, why didn't he feel any differently?

Ja-Kal followed Nefer-Tina back to the club. As he watched her, he couldn't help but wonder who this man that was causing her pain was. Why couldn't she tell him how she felt? The Nefer-Tina he knew wouldn't hesitate to let a man she liked know how she felt. What kind of power did this one hold over her?

He again wondered what was causing this unusual behavior in his friend and teammate. Nothing made sense in this whole situation. The only part that fit was that she was avoiding him to keep him from finding out her nightly activities, but that was not everything. The rest seemed to be connected, but he could not figure out how. Something was depressing her deeply. He needed to find out what so he could try and help her if she'd let him.

Hopefully, if his plan worked, he would soon know everything. Then, maybe things would go back to normal between them. He hated the fact that she was avoiding him. All he wanted to do was help her. The gods knew, she could be as stubborn and secretive as he was.

Ja-Kal got into the line that would let him enter the "Moon Zone" once again.

*** 

Nefer-Tina bowed to the audience and listened to the applause as the curtains closed. It was a rush like no other to be on stage. She wished it could go on forever. It was the only time that she felt totally free and happy. 

Larry, the club owner and tuxedo-wearing emcee, was waiting for her backstage. "Great show, Tina. The audience just loves you."

"Thanks. I just wish my schedule allowed me to stay and sing another song."

"So do I. You're probably the best talent we've seen in this town for a long time. It's a shame you're wasting it on a nothing job like this," he told her.

Nefer-Tina sighed. "This is just temporary to help me get through school. I hope you know how much I appreciate the way you're accommodating me. Most people would think I was crazy for only wanting to sing once a night."

"I never said I didn't, but it was the only way to get you to accept the job. Like I've mentioned before, I've seen a lot of singers come through here. You are the finest performer I have ever had the privilege of hosting. You'd be foolish to give it up," he said.

"I'll keep that in mind. If I could, I would do this full time. It's just not in the cards for me right now."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. I'll see you Monday night then."

"Good night, Larry. And, thanks again."

Nefer-Tina smiled as she walked back to her dressing room. Singing was a hobby she adored, but she knew that her true love was racing. It would be a dream come true if she could do both for the rest of her days. But, that was another thing not meant to be. As soon as Scarab escaped from wherever he was, it would be back to protecting Presley at all times. No more school or singing. She would just have to enjoy it while it lasted.

As she approached her dressing room, she noticed that there was something hanging on her door. She got closer for a better look. It was a single red rose with a note tied around its stem. Nefer-Tina pulled it off and gazed at it in her hand. Who could it be from? A secret admirer perhaps? 

The thought of a secret admirer excited her. Someone she had most likely never met was interested, maybe attracted, to her. It was mysterious and oh so romantic. She wondered who it could be from. Well, there was no time like the present to find out. She went into the room and sat down at her vanity. She eagerly removed the note from the rose and spread it out so she could read what it said.

The note was written in very crude handwriting, as if the author was new to using a pen, but it was perfectly legible. It said: "Dear Miss Niles, I have seen you perform and your singing has captivated me. I must meet you in person. Come to the Crystal Room Saturday night at seven sharp. Wait for me at the bar. Dress elegantly. I look forward to seeing you." There was no signature.

Nefer-Tina leaned back in her chair. This was too much to take in all at once. First, Matt had asked her out. Now this, a letter from a stranger wanting to meet her. She was overwhelmed. Yet, she felt strangely compelled to do as the note asked. She _needed_ to meet this mysterious man. 

This was a chance to make a fresh start with someone new. She had been flattered by Matt's interest in her, but she could never do that to Kait, no matter her own feelings on the issue. This man only knew her as Tina Niles, the nightclub singer. He could not judge her for what she'd done in her past. Maybe he could be the one that she had been waiting so long for. Someone to love her. Someone that she could possibly one day love in return...

She knew she was just fooling herself. There was only one man she could ever love. The one man who could never love her in return. There was nothing that could ever change that, no matter how much she wished it were so. Ja-Kal would never belong to her.

Nefer-Tina gathered her things and left to go home. 

  
  



	4. Chapter 6 to Chapter 8

Chapter Six:

The night of the opening of the Xena Scrolls Exhibit finally arrived. People from all over the city flocked to the Bay Area Art Museum. News reporters and their camera crews bustled all around the place. The crowd overflowed onto the sidewalk in front of the museum.

Miranda paced nervously back and forth in Amanda's office. She had to give a speech before the doors to the exhibit opened and later she was giving a free lecture. She was a scientist and scholar, an explorer. She was not good with the public at all. 

"I can't do this. I can't handle this," she complained. "This was a bad idea. What was Janice and Mel thinking when they sent me here?"

"Calm down. You'll do fine. No one here knows more about the Xena Scrolls than you," Amanda soothed her. "We would have never gotten this far without all your help. You deserve to give the welcome speech."

"Thanks. I'm sorry. It's just that I've never done this before. The Xena Scrolls have been kept locked away from the public for over fifty years. I've spent the last thirteen years of my life studying them. I never thought this day would come."

Amanda looked at her. "Why is that? Why have the Scrolls never been displayed in a museum before?"

"You saw the information they contain. The facts recorded by the bard Gabrielle contradict so many things taken as historic fact. Everything we thought we knew about the ancient world is wrong. If the Scrolls were ever to get into the wrong hands, think of the damage that could be done," Miranda told her. "The world could be thrown into chaos."

Amanda nodded. "I see your point. I read the translated text myself. I found myself shocked at some of the items I found. Especially Xena's relationship with Julius Caesar."

"Yes, most of us at IAXS agree with you on that. His betrayal of her trust turned her into one of the most vicious warlords to ever walk the planet. Who knows what would have happened if she had defeated Hercules that first time." Miranda became more and more animated as she talked on the subject she loved the most.

"See? You're doing fine."

She looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"You're giving me a lecture right now. And, you're doing just great," Amanda pointed out.

Miranda smiled gratefully. "Yeah, I guess I am. Thanks. I mean that."

"No problem. Just glad to be of help."

A knock came at the door. Mr. Hepplewhite popped his head in. "Ten minutes, ladies. Get ready."

"Yes, sir. We'll be there," Amanda told him. As he left, she gave Miranda a hug. "You'll do great. Trust me."

"I'll try."

"That's the spirit. Now, come on. Knock 'em dead for me."

*** 

Presley sat on a bench in the museum lobby. He was so bored. His mom had dragged him along with her after all, wanting to be sure he came to the opening. He had been there all day long and he still hadn't been allowed to see the exhibit. Mom told him she wanted him to be surprised. 

He yawned and looked at his watch. Five minutes to go. He wondered when the mummies would show up. At least he'd have some company. Strange company, but company nonetheless. They'd keep him busy explaining everything for hours.

It was going to be a long night.

*** 

Nefer-Tina searched the crowd for her classmates. She did not see one face she recognized. People had been drawn to this exhibit likes flies to a feast. She had not seen crowds like this since her days in Egypt. 

She waded into the sea of faces, hoping to see just one person she knew. She wondered if Ja-Kal and the others had gotten to the museum yet. She had told them that she wanted to get a head start checking out the museum for anything that may endanger the prince. She had gotten there very early, using her extra time to put on her make-up. She knew she would have to avoid them all evening unless an emergency arose. It would be disastrous if they saw her in her "Tina Niles" persona.

Finally, she saw Kait and Matt. This was going to be very awkward. Matt had asked her on a date while Kait wanted him to ask her. Kait had also confided her private feelings about Matt to Nefer-Tina. She knew she would not say anything about the incident but would Matt be smart enough to keep his mouth shut? She prayed to the gods that he had not said a word.

Unfortunately, her prayers came too late. Matt was telling Kait the whole story. She decided not to go over. But, as she tried to back away, Kait saw her.

"Tina! Over here!" she shouted. She did not sound unhappy, as Nefer-Tina would have thought. In fact, she sounded like she was laughing. 

She pulled her purse strap higher onto her shoulder and went over. "Hi, guys," she said. Thinking quickly she added, "Can you believe we got a whole class off to go to a museum opening?"

Kait laughed. "You really are new to this school. Dr. Raymond always lets us go to these things. She thinks it will help us learn better to see it someplace other than a textbook or classroom."

"I guess it makes sense. I was going to skip class to come here anyway," she confessed.

"You skip class? That's a laugh. You haven't missed one class since I've known you. You have perfect attendance," Matt reminded her.

"Well, then I'm entitled to miss at least one," she stated.

"If you say so," Kait put in. "Let's go closer to the podium. Aunt Miranda's gonna give a speech soon."

"I can't believe they talked her into that and a lecture. She has trouble speaking at meetings," Matt explained to Nefer-Tina. 

"I'm sure she'll do just fine," Nefer-Tina told them.

*** 

Ja-Kal saw Nefer-Tina approach her friends. He wondered how much the girl, Kait?, knew of the incident last night. The evening before that he had heard her express her feelings towards Matt to Nefer-Tina. It was a very unusual situation for any three friends to be in.

At first, Nefer-Tina hesitated and tried to sneak away, but Kait had called her over. He could not hear what was being said from his position, but from the expressions on their faces, he could tell no one was hurt or angry so far. Maybe she did not know.

He saw that she was once again wearing her concealing cosmetics. It was amazing. She looked as alive as anyone else in the room. He had let her leave for the opening early, knowing full well what she was going to do. It was so rare that she even talked to him lately, that he would have agreed to anything she said. He knew that she would avoid him all night and probably Rath as well. He did not think Armon would think anything of the make-up and she would most likely talk to him, if anyone from their group.

He watched her disappear into the crowd with her friends and turned to go and find the prince and the rest of his team. He spotted Presley sitting on a bench, looking completely bored. He walked over to the boy.

"Greetings, Presley. I take it that you are not having a good time," he said as he sat down next to him.

"Oh, hi, Ja-Kal. Mom forced me to come in with her this afternoon. I have been in this museum all day. This exhibit better be good or else Mom will never hear the end of it," Presley told him.

"I'm sure you will enjoy it. Your mother knows you better than anyone."

Presley grinned up at his guardian. "Yeah, right. She still believes all those crazy stories I tell her. _I_ don't believe me anymore!"

Ja-Kal smiled back at the reborn prince. During the past year and a half, he had grown to truly love the boy as he would a son. He had a second chance at being a father with Presley. If he only had the second chance at being a husband.....

Before he could say anything else, the stage at the front of the room was hit by a spotlight. Presley's mother, Amanda, stepped up to the podium sitting on the stage.

*** 

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, you are about to witness the first public unveiling of artifacts kept hidden for over fifty years. To welcome you all, here is the director of the International Association of Xena Studies, Dr. Miranda Larson."

A roar of applause filled the room. Miranda stepped up onto the small stage and shook Amanda's hand. She then took her place in front of the podium. She adjusted the microphone as Amanda left the stage.

"Thank you, Ms. Carnovan. Well, this is a very exciting evening! I have been a part of IAXS for over ten years. Studying the Xena Scrolls, which all of you are about to see tonight, has been a large part of my life. I wish to share with all of you here and many others in the future what so few of us have had the privilege of experiencing. The Bay Area Art Museum has done a wonderful job creating an environment in which to do so. Let's give them a hand for all their hard work," Miranda told her listeners.

Again, cheers and applause broke out. Amanda waved them off, smiling and laughing as Miranda clapped the loudest. Mr. Hepplewhite took a bow, eliciting even more audience approval.

After the excitement died down, Miranda resumed her speech. "I appreciate all the support shown here tonight. This has been a dream of ours at IAXS for a long time. On behalf of myself and the rest of the team, welcome and enjoy the Scrolls Exhibit."

Behind the stage, the two large doors leading to the exhibit swung open. The crowd began to make its way into the area that housed the Scrolls.

*** 

Kait grabbed Nefer-Tina by the hand. "Come on. I want you to meet Aunt Miranda." She pulled her along and Matt followed them. "Hey, Aunt Miranda! Long time, no see!" Kait shouted to her mentor.

"Kaitlin, Matthew! Oh, I didn't know you were here!" Miranda cried out happily. "Come here and give me a hug!"

The three of them engaged in a group embrace. Nefer-Tina stood by them, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the minute. As they broke apart, Matt took Nefer-Tina's arm and pulled her forward.

"Aunt Miranda, there's someone we'd like you to meet. This is our friend Tina. She's in our classes at school," Matt introduced her. "Tina, meet our 'aunt,' Dr. Miranda Larson."

"Tina Niles. I've studied some of your research. Your views on the ancient world are brilliant," Nefer-Tina said, shaking her hand.

"Thank you. It's very nice to meet you," Miranda greeted warmly. "Have these two been giving you any trouble? I've got some stories to tell you about my experiences with the 'Terrible Twosome.'"

"Well, Matt did hit on her last night," Kait offered good-naturedly. "She wisely turned him down."

Nefer-Tina was shocked. How could Kait be so nonchalant about the whole thing? She would have been devastated if something like that happened to her.

"Thatagirl! This no good louse right here doesn't know how to treat a lady," Miranda laughed.

Matt grinned slyly. "Gee Aunt Miranda, it's just that I've never met a real lady until now."

"Am I interrupting anything?" Amanda asked, as she came up to Miranda. She looked at the four people grinning in front of her.

"Oh, no! Of course not! Amanda, I'd like you to meet Kaitlin Peters and Matthew Covington. Janice and Mel are their grandmothers," Miranda told her.

"Nice to meet you," Amanda said. She looked at the fourth person. "Hi, I'm Amanda Carnovan." This woman looked strangely familiar, but she could not place her. "Have we met? You look familiar."

"No, I don't think so. My name's Tina, Tina Niles." The prince's mother recognized her! What could she do? If Amanda remembered her as one of the strange people hanging around her son, her cover would be blown.

Amanda shrugged. "In my line of work, I meet so many people. I guess you just reminded me of someone. But, never mind that. All of you, I'll give you the grand tour of the exhibit."

"Sounds good to me," Kait chimed in. "Let's go!"

*** 

Presley and Ja-Kal walked through the exhibit. It was amazing. Xena had been a person possessing many skills. Her actions had set many things in motion that defined the history of the modern world.

"This is epic," Presley told Ja-Kal, giving the exhibit his seal of approval. "Xena is way cool, even for a girl."

The next section they came to was entitled "Xena's World Tour." Xena's adventures had not been limited to Greece. She had visited many other nations, including China and India, during her time as both a warlord and a hero. But the one that caught the attentions of Presley and Ja-Kal was Egypt.

According to the Scrolls, Xena had helped Queen Cleopatra a number of times before her untimely death. One of these ventures involved both Amazons and Greek goddesses. One tribe of Greek Amazons decided that they were tired of the poor treatment Amazons were given in general by the Known World. Their queen proposed that the Amazon Nation actually needed to become a _nation_. The perfect country seemed to be Egypt, since it was ruled by a woman. When Cleopatra turned down the Amazons, they released Velasca, a one time Amazon who had eaten ambrosia and become a goddess. She had agreed to their plan and was going to help remove Cleopatra from the throne.

Unknowingly, by releasing Velasca from her prison, the Amazons had angered their patron goddess Artemis. Velasca had publicly denounced her and destroyed one of her temples before Xena imprisoned her the first time. Artemis dispatched another Amazon turned goddess, a woman originally from Egypt, to help Xena and Gabrielle save Cleopatra and punish the renegade Amazon tribe. The three of them succeeded and Velasca was taken to Mount Olympus where she would be held prisoner for all eternity. The name of the goddess who had helped Xena was Tia.

"Ja-Kal, wasn't Tia the name of your wife?" Presley asked. When he got no answer, he tried again. "Earth to Ja-Kal, come in please! I asked you if Tia was the name of your wife."

"Yes, it was," Ja-Kal answered quietly. He could not believe what his eyes had just read. An Egyptian woman named Tia had become a goddess in Greece? It was too much of a coincidence. Wasn't it? 

Tia had been such a sweet, loving individual. As long as he had known her, she had not shown any qualities associated with the women warriors called Amazons. Even if she had eventually traveled to Greece, how would she have ended up as an Amazon? What would they have done with Padjet? He couldn't bear the thought of his only son losing his mother as well. The stories told about the Amazons said that they sent all their male children away to far away villages. He would have truly been an orphan.

Ja-Kal sighed heavily. He missed them so much. She had been his love, his whole life. He had lost so much time with her and Padjet due to his duties to the prince and his pharaoh. He had failed them all that day....

Even as he thought about Tia, his mind drifted back to Nefer-Tina. He wondered how his life would have been different if he had met her before he met Tia. What would life have been like if she had been his wife? 

He realized that his feelings for her were growing stronger every day despite his telling himself that it was wrong. He did not know how much longer he could keep them hidden. He felt guilty thinking of her like this, and rightfully so. He was married! What he was doing was contemplating adultery. His personal code would not stand for such behavior.

What would Nefer-Tina think of him if she knew? Would she resent him for thinking of her in that way? Would she despise him for his unfaithfulness to his wife? How could he bear to be around her if she hated him? Or, was it possible that she felt the same way....

He shook himself out of his thoughts. This was not the time or place for this. He had to be alert to any possible hazards to the safety and well-being of his prince. He finally turned to Presley and said, "I think it best we move on to another part of the exhibit."

"Sure thing, Ja-Kal. I want to see the weapons section next!"

*** 

Kait found an opportunity to speak to Nefer-Tina alone. She pulled her friend into a bathroom in a secluded hallway to get away from Matt and Miranda. She did not want anyone they knew to hear their conversation.

Nefer-Tina looked puzzled as Kait checked all the stalls to make sure they were empty. She then watched her lock the door.

"Now, I want to hear everything," Kait demanded. "Matt told me you got upset again last night. He also told me you're in love with someone who you can't admit your feelings to. Spill it. Right now."

Nefer-Tina looked away from her friend. "I can't. It hurts too much."

Kait walked over and took her hands. "Tina, look at me." Nefer-Tina obeyed. "I am your best friend, right?" A nod. "Best friends don't have secrets. Is that clear?"

"What about you and Matt?"

"That's different. He's a guy. I hate to push you like this, but this is affecting you too deeply. Who knows, maybe I can help."

Nefer-Tina let go of Kait's hands and turned to face the wall. "It's a long story."

"We're not leaving until I hear it all. So, I suggest you start telling me right now."

"I first met him a long time ago. I was only sixteen at the time. He was a few years older than I, but it didn't matter. I fell in love with him almost instantly and we had never exchanged more than a few words. There was something about him. It just felt right..." she trailed off, fighting the fresh tears that were threatening to fall. "Anyway, a few months after that, something happened and I had to go away. Two years later, when I came back, I found out he had gotten married."

"Oh, Tina, I'm so sorry! I can't imagine what you're going through," Kait said sympathetically.

"To make it worse, I was put in a situation where I had to be with him every day. Soon, we became very close friends," she continued. "It was so hard to keep my feelings from him. Especially when he began to see me as a confidant. He would tell me things, things he couldn't tell anyone else, even his wife." She stopped, the depression returning full force. "I felt so unworthy of his trust. Here I was, living a lie, pretending to be someone I wasn't, hiding my true feelings from him, and he was telling me his deepest secrets and feelings."

Kait did not know what to say. She had never met someone in a situation as sad as this. One woman denied her only love because she had missed her opportunity. It was heartbreaking.

Nefer-Tina leaned heavily against the wall. "He lost his wife and son in, uh, an accident a few years ago. He still loves and misses them to this day. I could never bring myself to try and come between them. It would hurt him too much. He would hate me. And, I'd hate me too," she finished.

Kait felt like crying. She hadn't realized the pain her friend lived with every day. Some friend she was.

"I'm sorry I dumped all this on you," Nefer-Tina apologized. "You didn't need to hear my sob story."

Kait shook her head. "Never apologize for how you feel. My parents taught me that." She went over and unlocked the door. "It's time we got back. Aunt Miranda's lecture is going to start soon and we want to get good seats."

Nefer-Tina followed, strangely feeling better after talking about her problems. Well, an abridged version anyway. She thought about telling Kait of her secret admirer, but decided she wanted to keep that private for now. She did not want her friend to worry about that too. "Thanks," she finally managed.

"For what? Listening to you? No problem. That's what best friends do," Kait told her. "No more secrets, okay?"

"I'll see what I can do," Nefer-Tina said, smiling slightly.

The two women began walking back towards the auditorium. While they traveled in relative silence, something else occurred to Nefer-Tina.

"Just one question. How come you weren't upset when Matt told you he asked me out?"

"He's been going on for weeks about how he wanted to ask you out. I'm surprised you haven't noticed his interest in you. He's been acting jerkier than usual lately," Kait explained. "I'm also surprised you turned him down so fast. What did you exactly tell him so that he wasn't totally bummed?"

She grinned maliciously. "I told him that there was a girl who really liked him and was waiting for him to ask her out."

"You didn't!"

"Uh-huh. But, I didn't want to spoil the surprise when he finds out it's you."

"Thanks. You really are the best, you know that. That man was a fool to pass you up. Don't worry, one day you'll find the right guy for you."

She sighed. "I hope you're right. I really do."

*** 

It was two in the morning. The museum was dark inside and there was not a soul in sight. Or, so it seemed.

Scarab, wearing his beetle armor, softly landed at the back entrance to the museum. He removed a small key from one of the many pouches he carried with him and slid it into the lock. There was a click and he pushed the door open. He silently entered the museum.

He put Heka down as he approached the first security console. She slithered after him, grumbling to herself about never getting any beauty sleep.

Scarab flipped a few switches, deactivating security cameras all over the museum and shutting down alarms as well. "This is it, Heka. The day of my triumph has finally arrived," he confidently boasted to her.

"You say that every time and you know what happens? The mummies- MMPH!"

"Not another word, Heka. I don't have time for your brainless comments. Understand?"

Heka, whose mouth was clamped shut by one of his feet, waved her tail to signal her comprehension and surrender.

"Good." He put more weight down on her mouth sadistically before lifting his foot. He walked away, heading for the next bank of controls.

Ten minutes later, with all security systems disabled, Scarab and Heka entered the Xena Scrolls Exhibit. In the center, displayed in a large glass case, stood the Scrolls. There were at least eighty of them in the case. 

Grinning evilly to himself, Scarab blasted the case open. No alarms went off. He began to put the scrolls neatly into the pouches he had brought with him. Soon the case was devoid of any scrolls.

"Very soon, with the knowledge contained in these scrolls, I will have achieved my immortality and will rule the world," Scarab gleefully said to Heka. He began to laugh wildly as he left the exhibit.

Heka rolled her eyes, pretty sure this was another scheme destined to fail. She followed him out of the door.

They left, being careful to put everything back the way it had been when they came. No one would know what had happened until it was too late.

Chapter Seven:

Miranda and Kait were curled up on the couches in Kait's apartment. They had mugs of hot chocolate in their hands that they were slowly nursing. Both wore light silky robes.

"I still can't get over the question that man asked," Miranda was saying. "He obviously holds a very high opinion of himself. He actually had the nerve to imply that we had wasted the last fifty years by studying the, how did he put it, 'fanciful stories of an overimaginative female.'" 

Kait giggled, "But he was so cute!" She took a sip of her drink. "I think Tina may know him though. She got so embarrassed when he stood up that she sank down into her seat."

"Hmm. I can't imagine such a nice girl knowing such a snotty jerk," Miranda told her.

"Maybe he's from the place where she works. She has a job at some nightclub, but she won't tell us what she does. I think Matt and I embarrassed her the other night by implying that she was either a stripper or a hooker," Kait added. 

Miranda's eyes went wide in disbelief. "You told her you thought she worked as a stripper or hooker? I thought you two had better manners."

"Blame it on Matt. Both were his speculations, not mine," Kait defended herself.

Miranda put down her mug and folded her arms. "You expect me to believe that? I've known the two of you since you were eight years old. You, Miss Peters, are a born leader."

"Okay, I admit I may have helped him reach those conclusions, but-" She was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. "Saved by the bell," she said, reaching for the receiver. "Hello?"

"Are you Kaitlin Peters?" a stern voice inquired.

"Yes, I'm Kaitlin Peters. Can I help you?"

"This is Officer Laura Whittner of the San Francisco Police Department. Is Dr. Miranda Larson currently residing at your apartment?"

"Yes. She's right here if you would like to speak with her," Kait answered. She turned to Miranda. "An Officer Whittner would like to have a word with you."

_What's it about_? Miranda mouthed. Kait shook her head as she handed her the phone. "This is Dr. Larson. How may I help you?"

"Dr. Larson, we need you to come to the Bay Area Art Museum immediately. There has been a theft."

*** 

Amanda sat at the breakfast table, eating a bowl of cereal when the phone rang. Presley was still asleep, so she got up to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Amanda Carnovan?"

"Yes, this is she. May I ask who's calling?"

"My name is Officer Laura Whittner with the SFPD. You need to come to the museum right now. There has been a theft."

*** 

The entire premise of the Bay Area Art Museum was swarming with police officers and news reporters. Amanda pulled a still very sleepy Presley through the crowd into the building. She spotted a livid Miranda and her young friend Kait standing with a female police officer, presumably the same one who had phoned them.

"What I want to know is why the security measures that were here failed," Miranda was saying angrily. "We were told that there was no way anyone could have gotten past them. So, what happened?"

"Calm down, Dr. Larson. That is exactly what we're trying to ascertain," Whittner told her. 

"Trying isn't good enough! My job is on the line here," she said.

Amanda came up to them. "Miranda, what exactly happened here? What was stolen?"

"The Xena Scrolls. Someone took the Scrolls," she told Amanda.

"The Scrolls? But that's impossible. No one could have gotten past security," Amanda interjected. "We had the most advanced technology installed just for this exhibit."

"Well, it looks like your state-of-the-art technology failed," Miranda pointed out bitterly. "Janice and Mel trusted me with the protection of these artifacts. I don't know what'll happen if they aren't found."

"Grandmother and Granny Janice won't blame you for this," Kait said. "They'll know it wasn't your fault."

"Thanks, sweetie. I hope you're right."

Amanda suddenly remembered something Miranda had told her last night. "Do you think the person who stole them knows the power the Scrolls can give them?"

"If they do and we can't get them back, the world may be in very serious trouble."

*** 

Presley sneaked away from his mother while she was busy with the police and that scientist lady. He had to tell Ja-Kal and the others what had happened.

The door he needed to use to get into the Sphinx was currently blocked by two cops. One short and fat, the other tall and skinny. They were having a conversation about space aliens, of all things. The tall one, who referred to the fat one as Bob, was trying to convince his partner that he had met and interacted with them on several occasions. Bob, eating a donut, just nodded as he indulged his friend.

Presley decided getting past these two would be a piece of cake. All he needed was a really good excuse. Inspiration struck and he took a running start for the door.

Bob held out his hand at the oncoming teen. "Just hold it right there. Where do you think you're going?"

Presley began hopping up and down. "To the bathroom. I really, _really_ gotta go and the closest one is down there."

"What do you think, Joe?" Bob asked the one who was obsessed with aliens. "Should we let him pass?"

"Sure thing. Run along, kid. Just watch out for space aliens," Joe told him.

Presley smiled as gratefully as possible and rushed through the door. _Suckers_! he thought gleefully. _They must be the two dumbest cops on the planet_. However, their voices sounded familiar, but he just couldn't place them.

Now, back to business. There was only one man he knew who could possibly want the Scrolls. And, if it was him and he had finally returned, he and the world were in serious trouble.

*** 

Rath sat studying at his desk. He was still rather miffed by the way that impertinent woman had replied to his innocent question. He never got the respect he deserved any more!

Suddenly, the young prince burst into the Sphinx looking quite agitated.

"Greet-" Rath began to say.

"No time for that," Presley cut him off. "Where's Ja-Kal? The two of you need to hear this."

"He's recharging in his sarcophagus," Rath informed him.

"Someone stole the Xena Scrolls last night," Presley announced. He went over to the sarcophagus with the falcon motif. "Come on, Ja-Kal, time to wake up." He knocked on the lid.

The leader emerged from behind the lid. "Presley? What is going on?" Ja-Kal said, immediately alert upon spotting the boy.

"The Scrolls were stolen from the museum last night," he repeated. "And, whoever did it knew how to get past security."

"Scarab," Ja-Kal murmured. He turned to look at Rath. "Is it possible that he returned without our knowing?"

Rath went to his scrying pyramid. He said a few words then frowned. "That's odd. I'm not even getting a response to my inquiry."

"This is very bad," Ja-Kal said. "If Scarab is back and he can keep us from detecting him, then the prince may be in graver danger than ever."

"Not only me this time," Presley added. "I overheard Mom and that scientist lady. They were saying something about the world being in serious trouble if the Scrolls ever fell into the wrong hands."

"There's no telling what kind of dangerous magic the Scrolls may contain. They could make anyone unstoppable if they knew how to use them," Rath put in. "It's imperative that we retrieve them as soon as possible."

*** 

Miranda sat holding her head. "Kait, this is a total disaster. The police will never be able to get the Scrolls back. I don't know what to do."

Kait draped her arm around her "aunt." "I know what you can do. You can help me and Matt solve this ourselves. We don't need the police," she asserted.

"Are you crazy? What makes you think we could do a better job than the police?" Miranda questioned her. 

"Well, for starters, you know more about the Scrolls than anyone except Grandmother and Granny Janice. You probably have a better idea of who might have stolen the Scrolls and for what purpose. Matt and I can get into places you can't since we're just college students. The three of us would make a great team."

Miranda seemed to think about for a moment. "All right. Let's go get Matt and start working on a plan."

"Now that's what I wanted to hear! Let's go!"

*** 

Scarab sat locked in his chamber, pouring over the multiple scrolls he had "acquired." They were mostly filled with stories of the many adventures Xena and her sidekick Gabrielle, who was the author of the Scrolls. So far he was rather unimpressed. He was not interested in a tale of redemption. He preferred the stories of Xena when she was the Destroyer of Nations. Now, _she_ had been a villain. Too bad she had reformed into a goody-goody hero.

After hours of reading the ancient papyrus, he was beginning to think that stealing these had been a waste of time. He pushed aside a scroll entitled "Destiny" in which Xena had "died" after remembering her past with Julius Caesar. Scarab reached for the next one and opened it. It was called "The Quest." He began to read, expecting yet another tale of Xena coming back to life while Gabrielle cried over her supposed "loss." By this time, he was beginning to wonder about the type of relationship those two had had.

Suddenly, something of interest caught his eye. An interesting twist in the plot of this story was the appearance of the Amazon Velasca. She was the acting queen of the tribe that Gabrielle had been adopted into. She had won the queenship through the Royal Challenge and slayed the actual queen, her adopted mother Melosa. Scarab immediately liked this woman. She was very much like him, ruthless and power-hungry.

Velasca's ascension to the throne was thrown into jeopardy by the return of the "rightful" queen, Gabrielle. Velasca was infuriated by the way the tribe just turned on her. This girl had no right to the throne. She wasn't even a true Amazon!

Velasca finally lost the throne when Gabrielle accepted the mask of the queen. When Velasca angrily challenged her right to the queenship, the brat seemingly offered her the mask to take before putting it on herself, humiliating Velasca. But, she soon got her revenge when Gabrielle and the thief Autolycus escaped with Xena's body. They led her straight to the secret location of a supply of ambrosia, food of the gods. The power-mad Amazon decided that it was not her destiny to be queen. It was her destiny to be a god.

After a battle in which Xena was restored to life, they thought Velasca was dead. In fact, she was not only still alive, but she had gotten her hands on ambrosia. She returned to her village and consumed it in front of the new queen, transforming into the God of Chaos right before everyone's eyes. Then, just for kicks, she began destroying the village, the Amazons, and went after Gabrielle. She wanted revenge for the way she had been treated before reaching her true destiny.

Unfortunately, before she could destroy the annoying blonde, Xena trapped her and the other new goddess, Callisto, in a lava pit. Callisto was Xena's nemesis who was only helping because of the promise of ambrosia. Velasca was later released by another tribe of Amazons who wanted to take over Egypt and form a true Amazon nation. She was again defeated and was currently held in a prison on Mount Olympus.

After reading all he could about Velasca, Scarab realized the potential he had found. Velasca, with the right persuasion, would be a powerful ally who would have no problems destroying the mummies. She was a ruthless, cold goddess with no connections to the modern world. He could use her to attain his own destiny and immortality. 

Bringing Velasca to San Francisco would prove difficult. The Greek gods were very different from their Egyptian counterparts. Mount Olympus was not as easy to access as the Western Gate. He would need a powerful transportation spell. 

It was perfect. Once she was in his power and under his control, Velasca would be the perfect weapon to use against Ja-Kal and his annoying team. There was no way for them to win. His strategy was flawless. Victory was finally at hand. Immortality was almost his for the taking.

Scarab began to laugh uncontrollably. His laughter echoed throughout the entire Pyramid.

Chapter Eight:

Nefer-Tina pushed the lid of her sarcophagus open and stepped out. She was well-rested for her big night. She stretched her muscles and took a look at the clock on the wall. It read five-fifteen. She had to leave in fifteen minutes.

She felt a little guilty about her secret rendezvous. She and Armon had been out when Presley arrived with his news. She could not believe the audacity of such a person. The Xena Scrolls were meant to be shared with everyone. Whoever this thief was had a lot of explaining to do.

Ja-Kal and Rath's suspicion that Scarab had returned and was responsible bothered her a great deal. If it was true, she would have to give up everything she loved once more. Her duty as a guardian to Prince Rapses took precedence over all else. Most of all, she was saddened at the thought of losing her friends .

She went into the bedroom where she kept her secret stash of items. She opened the closet and pulled out a small box. Inside was the special cosmetics that she used to give herself the appearance of being alive. She would need a lot more than usual for the outfit she planned on wearing.

As she rummaged through the box, she noticed one compact was missing. How could that be? No one else knew she had this. Unless....

_No_! she firmly told herself. If either Ja-Kal or Rath had found the box, her activities would have been stopped long ago. She had probably left it in a bathroom somewhere.

Next, she grabbed her dress and shoes. Jewelry and hair accessories came after. Finally, lingerie was packed as well. In Egypt, no undergarments were worn by anyone. They were definitely a perk of the modern world.

Nefer-Tina zipped up her backpack and grabbed her purse. She looked at her watch. It was time to go. She opened the bedroom door and peered out.

There was no one around. Relieved, she entered the main living area of the Sphinx. She quickly made her way out into the darkening day.

*** 

One hour later, she emerged completely transformed from the park public restroom. Gone were her kilt and bandages. She now donned a slinky strapless black dress which accentuated her figure nicely. The entire area of exposed skin had been covered with the flesh-colored cosmetics. Additional make-up had been applied to her face for evening wear. Her hair had been styled into an exquisite French twist. Her amulet, which was now safely tucked into her purse, had been replaced by a delicate diamond pendant. Two matching earrings adorned her ears. Black high heels enveloped her feet. 

Her backpack neatly stowed into a courtesy locker for the evening, she went to hail a cab. The nearest one pulled over and she got in.

"Where to, Miss?" the driver asked.

Nefer-Tina smiled to herself. "The Crystal Room, please."

"You got it," he responded. "Big date tonight?"

"You could say that."

The cabby nodded knowingly. He then proceeded to pull into traffic and promptly brought her to her destination.

Nefer-Tina paid the driver and got out. She stared in awe at the sight spread before her.

The entire building known as the Crystal Room was encased in glass crystal that sparkled in the street lights. Elegant people went in and out in a continuous flow. A doorman greeted all the patrons. It was absolutely beautiful.

She had dreamed of going here ever since it had opened eight months ago. It was known as the most romantic spot in all of San Francisco. Although she could now afford it from her singing, she never thought she would actually ever go there, much less brought on a date. She was in heaven. She hoped this night would never end. 

She snapped herself out of her thoughts. She glanced at her watch and saw that she was ten minutes early. She mustered all her courage and headed for the door. The doorman opened the door for her and bid her a good evening. She smiled back, still overwhelmed that this was really happening. 

The interior of the Crystal Room put the outside to shame. The atmosphere was quiet and intimate, very romantic. The color scheme was soft pastels that seemed to glow by the candlelight being given off from every table. A large dance floor took up most of the room in the center. A live band played on a stage in the back. Couples danced to a slow fox-trot.

The bar where she was supposed to wait for her mystery date was in a room to the left of the main dining area. She went in. The bar was dimmer than the rest of the restaurant. It was mostly filled with men, probably waiting for their dates to arrive. She went up to the counter and pulled up a stool. She ordered a drink and began to wait.

As she sat, Nefer-Tina did not notice that she was being watched from the other end of the bar. 

*** 

Scarab stood in his laboratory, magic books strewn all over the room. It was time to begin the transportation spell.

He knew bringing Velasca to San Francisco would be difficult. According to the Scrolls, she was being held in a secluded cell somewhere on Mount Olympus for her crimes against the other gods. The minor goddess who had brought her in had not told Xena or Gabrielle much about how the gods treated their criminal element. She had only said that no god could ever take the life of another, meaning that there would be no execution of Velasca for her treason. 

The goddess who helped them was named Tia. He knew that name. It was also written that she had been Egyptian. He was positive that she had been someone important to one of his enemies, but he could not place her. But, it was really not important and could wait.

The Greek pantheon was quite different from the hierarchy of the Egyptian gods. One main difference was that they were not animal deities. They were very human in appearance and behavior. They were also more involved in the lives of the mortals over which they ruled.

The Greek gods had a tendency to be petty and temperamental in their dealings with humans and each other. They each had unique views of how to do their jobs and would act accordingly. They directly interfered with the lives of mortals as well, some even having children with them. Zeus, king of the gods, was notorious for his many half-mortal children, especially Hercules, a good friend of Xena's and a major hero in his own right.

Scarab was aware that penetrating Mount Olympus was going to be much more difficult that passing beyond the Western Gate. Whereas the Western Gate was more of a realm, Mount Olympus was a palace complex where most of the gods lived. He would have to first find Velasca before even figuring out how to release her. The gods would not be happy to discover an unwelcome guest breaking out an important prisoner.

He hoped that Velasca would appreciate all that he was going through for her. He knew better than anyone what a couple of hundred years of imprisonment was like. And, how it did nothing to improve one's disposition.

He began to recite the incantation to locate her whereabouts.

*** 

Heka laid curled on the floor near her urn. She had declined to accompany Scarab this evening. She did not like this plan of his one bit.

She had taken the liberty of reading the scrolls on Velasca herself. This woman scared her. She sounded uncontrollable and deadly. Compared to her, Scarab was only a minor threat to the world.

Scarab had no aspirations to attain actual godhood. All he wanted was immortality. He was satisfied with the level of magic he had already reached. This was not true of Velasca. She had wanted everything. 

Velasca had started out only desiring to rule the Amazons. When she had gotten her queenhood, she had been satisfied until Gabrielle had taken it away from her. Then, she realized that she was "destined" to be a god. The God of Chaos, she had called herself. She was dedicated to revenge and destruction, not truly caring to rule anything anymore. 

Scarab was getting in way over his head this time. His obsession with the boy and his guardians was blinding him to everything else. Velasca was insane and dangerous. She belonged where she was. Heka was sure that this was the worst idea of Scarab's evil career.

If he could not keep her under his power, it could spell disaster for them and the entire world. 

Heka hoped Scarab knew what he was doing. For the sake of the world.

*** 

In the bar of the Crystal Room, Nefer-Tina waited for her date to arrive. She sat, sipping her drink, wishing for time to go faster. She could not bring herself to look around the room to see if he was coming. She was so excited and nervous about the whole evening. After all, this was her first secret admirer.

She wondered who he was. Was he one of the regulars that she flirted with at the Moon Zone? Or, was he someone who had caught the show one night and became infatuated with her? It was possible he was just some psycho stalker as well. She hoped it was not the last choice. Above all, she wanted him to be nice. She did not care about what he looked like, but it wouldn't hurt if he was cute!

She sighed. She knew who she wished she was waiting for, but that would never be. His heart would always belong to another. Ja-Kal would never be hers. Her love for him would have to remain one-sided forever. 

She glanced at her watch. It was one minute to seven. The wait was almost over. 

*** 

The man sitting at the other side of the bar, who had been watching Nefer-Tina the whole time, got up from his seat. He began to walk over to her.

*** 

Suddenly, Nefer-Tina felt someone come up behind her. Was it him? She was too nervous to turn around. Another look at her watch told her it would be another thirty seconds before seven. With the man standing behind her, time seemed to come to a complete standstill. Finally, the hour and minute hands indicated that time was up.

"Hello, Miss Niles," the figure behind her spoke. "I'm pleased you could make it."

She froze. That voice! She knew that voice. It was a voice she knew almost as well as her own. A voice that haunted her dreams... But, it couldn't be him. If it was... Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves and gather her courage, she finally turned around to face the man behind her. 

"Ja-Kal!" she gasped. It _was_ him! She began to panic. What was he doing here? How had he found her? How did he know her alias? Then, she noticed something. He looked as normal as she did.

His skin had regained its natural tone, looking as it had not in over 3500 years. His wrappings were gone, replaced with a black suit. He had also completely unwrapped his head, revealing a full head of hair as white as her own. 

Where had he gotten the make-up? The suit? If he had just followed her here, when had he had time to change? It was impossible, unless... 

Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place. He had not followed her here. There was no secret admirer. It had been him. The rose, the note, the missing compact-it all made sense now. They had been part of a trap to lure her out into the open. A trap she had blindly walked right into. She felt all her hopes and dreams of a new beginning with someone shatter. 

A bevy of emotions rushed to the surface. First and foremost was anger. Anger at his cruel ploy to trap her. How dare he play at her emotions like that! He knew how much she wanted someone to love her. He knew! Did he know how much he was hurting her? 

Next came hope. Hope that her fondest wish had come true and that she was wrong about this being a ruse. But, deep down she knew it wasn't. Sadness that he knew she had betrayed his trust again. Why did it have to be him who found her? Fear that he was angry at her for doing so.

Fear, being the most powerful emotion, finally won out. She couldn't bear the thought of him being angry with her again. It was too painful right now. She rose from her stool quickly. She had to get out of there now. She began to walk away without looking at him. She'd deal with this later at the Sphinx, after she'd had a chance to pull herself together. 

"Nefer-Tina, please. Don't go," he quietly implored. 

His plea took her by surprise. She stopped and turned around. She searched his face. There was not a trace of anger. Her fear immediately dissipated. She came back and stood in front of him, curious now. "Why?" was all she said.

"I needed to talk to you," he explained. "I'm sorry for the deception, but it was the only way I could get you alone." Her initial reaction had startled him. He had come expecting anger. Instead she had been terrified. In the 3500 years he had known her, he had never seen her this afraid. Not only afraid, but of _him_. What was wrong? "You've been avoiding me for weeks." 

"How did you find me?" she asked, pretending not to have heard the last sentence. She sank back into her seat and looked away from him. He _was_ right. She had been avoiding him, but for reasons that he could never know. 

"I'm a hunter, remember? You're very easy to track," he said, smiling gently. "Like a gazelle who has grown too confident in her ability to outrun the lion."

She almost laughed at the way he compared her to one of his animal stories. Leave it to Ja-Kal to try to instill morals in every situation. It was one of the traits she loved about him. Still not meeting his eyes, she inquired, "How long have you known?"

"Six months. I watched you leave every evening, but I didn't follow you until three nights ago." 

She looked up at him in shock. Six months?! He had known about it for six months and he had not followed her until now? If he wanted to put an end to it, why wait so long to confront her? And, why go so far out of his way to do so? She didn't understand it. This was not like Ja-Kal. 

The most puzzling part was the lack of anger. She would have expected him to be reading her the riot act by now. This was by far the worst instance of her disobedience since their resurrection. His behavior was starting to worry her.

They regarded each other in silence for a few moments, neither knowing what to say. Each was lost in thought. Finally, Ja-Kal broke the tense silence by saying, "I didn't know you had such an interest in going to school." 

Again, she looked away from him. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me." 

It was the first statement she had made since their encounter began. Her voice was sad as she spoke. He did not know how to respond. It was very true. He knew very little about her life before she came to the palace as "Nefer." She had never spoken much about her past. 

After another brief silence, he said, "Come on, we'll finish this conversation once we're seated. We have much to discuss." 

"Seated? Discuss? You mean we're actually going to go through with this?" she asked incredulously. The sadness was gone from her voice. "You want to stay and have dinner? With me?"

"Of course. Isn't that why we're here? To have dinner?"

"Yes, but that was before..."

"Before you knew it was me," he finished for her. "Do you find me that uncomfortable to be around?"

"No, of course not!" she told him vehemently. "Don't ever think that! It's not you. It's me. I just wouldn't be very good company tonight." 

"That's another reason why I came. I just want to talk with you, that's all. So, will you honor me with your presence for dinner?" he asked, offering her his arm.

Hesitantly, she stood up and accepted his arm. "All right, since you asked so nicely. Lead the way." She smiled at him.

He smiled back as they began walking out of the bar, heading for the main dining area. He glanced at the woman on his arm. She was always so beautiful and tonight she looked absolutely gorgeous. How could anyone have ever thought she was a man? He felt the feelings she invoked in him stirring once again. If he weren't married... "You look very nice tonight," he told her. 

She was caught off guard by the compliment. Ja-Kal was not a man of many words by nature, so anything he said was not to be taken lightly. And, he always meant it. "Thank you," she answered.

She had never been this close to him before, at least not in a situation like this. She was overwhelmed by the emotions her proximity to him was summoning. She hoped she could make it through the evening without revealing too much by mistake. It could be disastrous.

They entered the dining room, arm-in-arm.

  
  



	5. Chapter 9 to Chapter 11

Chapter Nine:

Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina were taken to a table in the rear of the restaurant. It would afford them the privacy they desired and gave them an exquisite view of the dance floor. 

The maître d', who had led them to their table, put down their menus, gestured for them to have a seat, and left. Before Nefer-Tina could sit down, Ja-Kal stopped her and pulled out her chair for her in the time-old tradition. She again smiled at him warmly and gracefully sat down. 

As he pushed her in under the table, he noticed something. On her back, barely visible beneath the layer of heavy make-up, was a criss-crossing network of scars. It was obvious that she had taken great care to cover them and, if it weren't for his keen hunter's vision, he would have missed them altogether. On each shoulder he saw two lines that worked their way down her back, the four meeting in the middle before continuing on to disappear beneath her dress. 

As far as he could tell, they appeared to have been inflicted by a knife. A knife at extremely close range. When and where had this happened to her? He did not remember her ever being injured in that manner during their tenure as the prince's guardians in Egypt. In fact, she probably had the lowest injury record of the four of them. So, it must have happened before he had met her. 

__

There are a lot of things you don't know about me... Her words echoed through his head. There was something in the way she had said it... For some reason, that bothered him. A lot. He considered her his closest friend and hoped she thought the same of him. Why didn't she trust him enough to let him in? Why couldn't she tell him what was bothering her so? He became more determined that they were not leaving until she told him everything. 

His mind returned to the scars. Looking at them again, he realized they were familiar to him. He had seen that very same injury somewhere before, vaguely recalling an incident that had occurred before he had come to guard Rapses. Something involving a young girl... 

He finally sat down across from her. She was still smiling. The past would have to wait. The present was what mattered most. Maybe once she trusted him enough with what was bothering her now, she would tell more about herself. 

Before either could say a word, the waiter came and asked what they would like to drink. Ja-Kal took Nefer-Tina completely by surprise and ordered champagne. He nodded and quickly left.

Nefer-Tina cocked an eyebrow. "Champagne, huh? What's the occasion?"

"A promotion. I've decided that it's time to appoint a second-in-command," he told her.

"I see," she said. "If I told you that it took you long enough, would you get angry?" There was a glint of wicked humor in her eyes.

"Do you want to really find out?" he teased back. The fact that she was bantering with him was a good sign. 

"Maybe some other time," she said. "So, what brought on this sudden decision to change things around here?"

"I was just thinking about the young prince's first dance. If I am ever unable to lead again, I need someone ready to take my place. I don't think any of you would appreciate a repeat of what happened."

She smiled at the memory. "I totally agree. That was a disaster if there ever was one. So, who can the lucky mummy be?" She began to exaggeratedly tap her head. "Let me see. I've got it! Our new second-in-command is: Armon!" she grinned playfully.

Ja-Kal shook his head. "We aren't very fair to him, are we?"

"He's just so easy! The poor man tries so hard and we just keep picking on him," she agreed. "We are pretty mean sometimes. But, really, who did you choose? If I had a guess, I'd say Rath."

"You'd be wrong," he said, suddenly very serious. He met her eyes. "I chose you."

"Me?!" she said, totally taken aback. "This is a joke, right?" He said nothing, never taking his eyes off of her. "You aren't kidding, are you? You're serious about this."

"Aren't you the one who's always saying I don't have a sense of humor?"

"Ja-Kal! That's not fair. I'm being serious for once and you're cracking a joke? How could you even consider me? After all the times I've lied and deceived you? How can you trust me?"

"I did the exact same thing to get you here tonight. How can you still trust me?" he reminded her. 

"It's not the same. You had a valid reason for your actions. I've always acted selfishly," she pointed out. She looked away from him. "I'm the wrong choice."

Ja-Kal suddenly reached across the table and took both her hands. She let out a gasp of surprise at his uncharacteristic action. He'd never been that demonstrative with her before, usually only putting a hand on her shoulder. She slowly turned to face him once more.

"Nefer-Tina, listen to me. You know me probably better than anyone. Would I have even considered you if I didn't have total faith in your abilities as a leader? If I couldn't trust you? I chose you because I know you're the best one for the job. Do you understand?" She nodded slowly and he released her hands. "Good. I'm glad we have an understanding," he finished just as the server returned with the champagne and two glasses. 

He poured a glass for each of them and then asked if they were ready to order. They each chose an entree from the menu and the waiter disappeared once more.

Nefer-Tina raised her glass. "A toast," she proclaimed, "to my unexpected promotion." 

Ja-Kal did the same with his and the two glasses met with a clink. He repeated her motions and said, "And, to friendship. May ours continue for a long time."

"Here, here!" She toasted with him again. She took a sip of her champagne and assumed a contemplative expression. "But, you didn't bring me here just to promote me, did you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Oh, no you don't. Feigning innocence isn't going to work here. As you said, I know you too well. You went out of your way to get me here when you could have announced your decision at any time. Why?" 

"As I mentioned in the bar, I just want to talk. That's all," he told her. 

"I'm here. So, talk," Nefer-Tina said, all humor gone from her voice. 

"I've noticed lately that there's something bothering you. I want to know what it is." She looked down at her lap to avoid his gaze. "And, since you've been avoiding me, I had no choice but to take drastic measures. That's why I followed you and brought you here tonight. I need to know what's wrong." He paused for a moment, as if searching for the right words to say. "I've been worried about you." 

He'd been worried about her?! She raised her eyes, startled by this statement. "You've been worried about me?" she asked, desperately trying to keep the hope out of her voice. Was it possible that he had feelings for her after all this time? 

The way she said that... Was it possible... Ja-Kal met her gaze, the feelings of attraction to this woman stronger than ever. "Of course," he replied, "I-" He cut himself off, the guilt returning full force. 

This was wrong. He couldn't allow himself to feel this way for her. Especially now that she was his second-in-command. Emotional involvement in this situation was forbidden. Besides, he still loved Tia with all his heart. It would be wrong to allow himself to love another...

"For the good of the team. We can't function without you," he finally spoke. 

"Yes, for the good of the team," she said softly. She felt her hopes slip away once more. "Always for the team." She hoped that he did not hear the disappointment in her voice.

What else had she expected him to say? That he was worried about her because he cared for her as more than a friend? That he loved her? The team always came first for Ja-Kal. She knew that. It had always been that way. 

"I've been thinking about my past lately," she said after a long silence. "Something happened to me... Something I've never told anyone."

"Tell me," Ja-Kal quietly said. "Please."

"Have you ever really wondered why I disguised myself as a boy," she asked instead.

He shook his head. "I thought it was so you could drive the chariot. At least, that's what you've told me."

"That's only part of it." She looked away from him again. Should she tell him? What would he think of her if he knew? "I was running away, trying to escape my life, my...shame. I just wanted to forget what had happened. But, I never did. It still haunts me, even after my 'death.' It's something that will never go away, no matter how much I wish it would." She felt the tears welling up at the memory but refused to let them fall. She would never let anyone see her cry, especially Ja-Kal. "You'll probably be disgusted with me." 

"Nefer-Tina, I am your friend. Nothing you can ever say or do will change that. Believe me," he told her. "I'd like to hear. Please."

She nodded and looked up at him. "When I was sixteen, I was living at the palace in Memphis as a court musician. I liked to sneak out every night to take a walk and have some time to myself. We unwed maidens had a curfew and were supposed to stay in our rooms all night. But, as you well know, I've never been one for following the rules," she laughed bitterly.

"The night it happened started out the same as any other night. I followed my usual route. Nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. Suddenly, I was grabbed and dragged into an alley. It all happened so fast I didn't even have time to scream."

She stopped and hugged her arms tightly to her chest. "He raped me. I was only sixteen years old and he raped me!"

_Oh my gods_, Ja-Kal thought. Rape was a horrible experience no one should ever have to go through. She had only been a child, a young girl when it happened. She had had to live with that pain for two lifetimes now. What she must have gone through... 

She took a deep breath and continued her story. "The first thing he did was gag me. He didn't want anyone hearing me scream. Not that there was anyone who could. There was a reason I walked in that place every night. It was deserted so no one would see me disobeying the rules. Who wanted to be punished, right?" She smiled weakly at him.

She broke off for a moment, pain in her expression. "He didn't force himself on me right away. He decided to have a little fun first." She hugged herself tighter at the recollection. "He-he did things to me. Things I don't want to talk about." Suddenly, to Ja-Kal's surprise, she stood up. She walked around the table, carrying her chair with her. She put it down next to his and sat down, her back facing him. "I don't know if you can see them, but he gave me scars. He took a knife and just ripped me from my shoulder to the middle of my back. Not once, but four times."

Ja-Kal again looked at the healed slashes that covered her back. He began to reach out with his hand to feel them when he caught himself. What was he doing? He couldn't just touch her like that without asking her. He was her superior officer, her leader. It would be inappropriate for him to do so. 

Yet, they were not here as the prince's guardians. They were just two old friends having dinner together, just a man and a woman. A woman who was trusting him with her darkest secret. A woman who he was extremely attracted to... The urge to touch her was very strong. 

Finally, he gave in. With an unsteady hand, he reached out and, with a single finger, slowly began to trace the first line down her back. Nefer-Tina gasped as he made contact with her skin and he felt her stiffen. He immediately stopped. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," he apologized.

"No, it's all right," she barely whispered. "Go ahead. I give you permission."

Ja-Kal nodded slightly and continued his examination of her back. They were the result of very deep knife wounds. The man who had done this to her had known exactly what he was doing. Although horribly inflicted, the precision in which the rapist had wielded the blade showed. He had not been an amateur. 

Nefer-Tina could hardly breathe. She was so close to him. And, now, he was _touching_ her. The only other time a man had touched her there had resulted in the scars she now carried. This time, it was different. It was so gentle, so soft. She had never known anything like it. She had dreamed of him touching her for so long. Now that it was happening...

When she had sat down in front of him, she had just wanted to show him what had been done to her. She knew that it would be difficult to be so near him. His actions were so unexpected, so unlike him. His examination of what had been done to her spoke volumes about the way he felt about her. He _did_ care about her. He had proven that when he had admitted he was worried about her. He just didn't love her as she loved him. She closed her eyes and let herself relax as he continued to examine her back. 

Ja-Kal followed each scar to where it vanished under her dress and stopped. He knew his boundaries. His finger lingered on her back for a moment longer before he removed it. Although he was loathe to admit it, he had enjoyed this more than he should have, in a way he shouldn't have. He did not want to stop. 

Nefer-Tina opened her eyes as she realized his hand was no longer on her back. She stood up slowly, regretting the ending of the contact. It had been the most wonderful feeling she had experienced in a long time. She carried her chair back to its rightful place and sat down once more. For a moment, she could not meet his eyes. 

Finally, she resumed her story. "He toyed with me like that for what seemed like hours. Doing countless horrors to my body for no reason. No reason! Just because he could. But, that was nothing compared to what he finally did after he finished playing his little games." She stopped speaking for a moment, shaking at the recollection. "The worst part was when he forced himself on me." She stopped again, trying to get a hold of herself. "I didn't think it was going to ever end. The pain I endured was so unbearable. I cried and cried, but he wouldn't stop. He wouldn't stop! He didn't care. I was sure he was going to kill me when he was done. 

"But, he didn't. Sometimes I almost wish he had. He never even said a word. He just got up and left. He walked away, not even checking to see if I was dead or alive. I never even saw his face. I don't know how long I laid there before I blacked out.

"Well, the next morning I woke up in a strange bed wearing a clean dress. My wounds had been tended to and I had been washed up. I guess someone must have found me while I was unconscious and brought me there. I'm sure I would have died in that alley if that person hadn't come along. I wish I could thank whoever it was. I never saw who rescued me."

"Why not?" Ja-Kal wanted to know. Nefer-Tina had been through hell and she did not even get to thank the person who had rescued her. It did not seem fair. This whole story was leaving him deeply disturbed. The things that man had done to her... 

"I left as soon as I woke up. Remember, I had a curfew. If I had not been in my chambers when it was time to get up in the morning, I would have been punished severely for my disobedience. I did make it back in time, but all that mattered was that I was alive. Any punishment would have been nothing compared to what that man did to me.

"A few weeks later, I discovered I was pregnant. I didn't know what to do. I had no one to turn to. Even if I did, I couldn't tell them. I was sixteen and unmarried. To be with child was a crime and a scandal. They would have turned their backs on me. 

"I was all alone. There was only one thing I could do: I had to leave the palace before my pregnancy began to show. I didn't know where I would go or what I would do, but I did know I would be safe. I wouldn't even tell my parents. I would write a letter saying that I was going on a trip and would return someday. They didn't need to know my shame. 

"As it usually happens, things did not work out as planned. My secret was discovered and word reached the pharaoh almost immediately. It was a scandal of great proportions for a young unmarried servant of the king to be in such a state. It reflected badly on Amenhotep, making it look like he could not control his servants. 

"So, I was put on trial and humiliated in front of the entire court. No one believed I had been raped. They were convinced that I was protecting a lover, most likely a married one. In the end, I was banished from the palace and Memphis."

Ja-Kal remembered hearing stories of the palace musician and her lover. He had been out on a hunting trip during the trial. Tia had spoken about the scandal for weeks after he returned. He had remembered thinking she was strangely happy about it at the time. He could not imagine the pain Nefer-Tina had suffered. It must have been unbearable.

"Afterwards, I went to my parents for help. They would have nothing to do with me, their only child. I was a disgrace. They didn't believe my story either." She stopped once again, seeming to be near tears. "They-they disowned me," she said. She looked at Ja-Kal. "It was as if I was dead to them. I had no place to go. No one else to turn to.

"I finally found myself taken in by the priestesses at the Temple of Bastet. They cared for me until my baby was born. All I had to do in return was help around the temple." She broke off again. "They took my baby away as soon as I gave birth. I didn't even get to see it. They wouldn't even tell me what it was..." Her voice trailed off. She stopped for a moment before continuing. "I had nothing left now. Nothing. Except for one thing: chariots. I had loved chariots ever since I was a little girl. I had been told over and over that women did not drive them, but that didn't change how I felt. One of the farmhands took pity on me and secretly taught me how to drive over the years. He was impressed by my ability. He said I was the best driver he had ever seen. He was the one who taught me how to race.

"So now I decided that I had nothing else to lose and assumed the persona of 'Nefer.' I was determined I would never be hurt that way again. As a boy, I knew I was safe. I learned to fight to protect myself. I had a second chance at life. I could try to forget who I had been. Who I still was.

"For two years, I lived off of my winnings from racing. I learned to live again and I was happy. I was living the life I had always wanted. Then, I won the Nile Valley Championship and everything changed.

"The pharaoh was looking for a new charioteer. He decided that the honor would go to the winner of the race. They kept that from the racers until the end, otherwise I would have never entered. I kept thanking the gods that he did not recognize me as the disgraced girl he had once banished. I don't know what he would have done to me if he had.

"That was when I first met you and the others," she finished. "I was assigned to be one of the personal guardians of Rapses as well as the Royal Charioteer. You know the rest."

Ja-Kal was at a loss for words. What could he possibly say to her? Her story was so tragic and sad. Anything he said could not convey what he was feeling for her at this moment. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and comfort her...

What was he thinking? He was married! Why did he keep having these thoughts and feelings about her? What he had already done was bad enough. Why did it have to feel so right to be with her? What was wrong with him? 

Now you know everything," she lied. She still had one secret that she would keep to herself until the end of time. He would never know how she felt about him. That was a promise to herself that she would never break.

"Nefer-Tina, I don't know what to say. I am so sorry," he managed at last. He took her hands again. "I swear to you, I will never tell anyone, even our prince, what you have told me. I promise."

The sincerity in his voice touched her. "Thank you," she whispered. She squeezed his hands tightly and then let go. 

They sat in silence once more. Ja-Kal remained deeply disturbed about her tale. He could not believe that she survived all the heartache and sorrow alone. She was a lot stronger than he could have ever imagined. 

However, he knew that she had not told him everything. There was still the issue of the mysterious love she had spoken to her friend Matt about. He knew that was still causing her a great deal of pain. That gave him an idea.

"When I followed you the other night, I saw you talking to two people. Who are they?" he asked, pretending to have not heard any of her conversations with them.

"Oh, they're my friends Kait and Matt. They're in my classes at school. I met them when I first started going," she told him. She seemed to brighten at the change of subject. "The three of us happen to be studying the same subjects."

"What type of classes are you taking?"

"A lot of anthropology and classics. Everything about ancient societies. Their cultures and mythologies," she explained. "One of my favorite topics that we've covered is soulmates."

"Soulmates?" Ja-Kal inquired.

"Two people who are destined to be together. They complement each other. They are likes equal halves of the same whole. They are inseparable. They can be lovers or friends. Soulmates can be a man and a woman or two men or two women. For example, remember Xena and Gabrielle from the exhibit last night? Well, they were soulmates. They were best friends who helped each other through life, nothing more. Although there are some parties who claim they were more than friends, I don't believe it. Everyone has a soulmate supposedly, but they don't always meet."

Ja-Kal resisted the urge to ask her if she had found hers. He knew the question would only upset her more. 

The band finished the piece it had been playing. The couples on the dance floor ended their dances and applauded. After the applause died down, the bandleader motioned and a tango began to fill the air.

"The tango is known as one of the most romantic dances in the world," Nefer-Tina commented as she observed the dancers move in closer together. "I've always loved watching it."

Ja-Kal watched her. She still seemed sad, even after her animated discussion about soulmates. He wanted nothing more than to cheer her up. He felt compelled to do something, anything. He hated seeing her like this.

"Dance with me," he said suddenly. "I think you'll like it more than watching."

Nefer-Tina was stunned by his invitation. "No, thanks. I don't feel very much like dancing right now." His examination of her scars had been bad enough. She couldn't bear to be as close to him as the tango required. It would be too painful.

"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer," he firmly replied. He knew she loved dancing as much as racing. He was sure it would make her feel better. Before she could protest further, he grabbed her by her hand and pulled her out onto the dance floor. 

He led her to the very center of the floor. He took her right hand in his left and placed his right on her shoulder blade. He pulled her in tightly towards him. Nefer-Tina slowly put her left arm on his right one. Their eyes met. Neither said a word. 

They began to move to the music, their bodies as one.

*** 

The spell was working. Scarab had penetrated Mount Olympus with his scrying magic. He had a perfect view of the home of the Greek gods. Now, all he had to do was find Velasca.

Soon, his victory would finally become a reality.

*** 

Ja-Kal was aware of nothing but the beautiful woman in his arms. As soon as he had pulled her close, his desire for her had returned full force. It flooded all his senses as he danced with her. This time, instead of pushing it away, he embraced it. For once, he would give into his feelings. Just for this one moment, he would allow himself to love her. 

*** 

Finally, Scarab found her. She was being held in a small prison cell at the bottom of the mountain complex. 

Velasca was quietly sitting on the floor of the tiny room. The cell was devoid of any furniture or luxuries. There was nothing for the goddess to entertain herself with. She was meant to suffer for her actions for all of eternity.

He now began to chant the transport spell that would bring her to the Pyramid.

*** 

Nefer-Tina was overwhelmed by the emotional flood brought on by her closeness to Ja-Kal. The way he was holding her... This was very different from his earlier examination of her back. Any restraint he might have had in touching her was gone. He was holding her tightly pressed to his body as he led her across the dance floor.

She was aware of every move he made, every hand signal he gave her. Each touch sent shivers through her body. It was pure ecstasy to be in his arms. 

*** 

Scarab smiled in satisfaction as his spell went into effect. A large portal had formed in the middle of his laboratory. It glowed brightly, bathing the room in white light. It was now only a matter of time before Velasca arrived. 

*** 

Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina were aware of nothing but each other as they danced. The world had fallen away, leaving the two of them alone. They were embraced by the music, bound together by the dance. Their hearts and minds had become one. 

*** 

Heka had fallen asleep when a loud noise woke her. It was coming from Scarab's lab. She decided to go investigate. 

*** 

Ja-Kal sent Nefer-Tina into a slow turn that brought her face-to-face with him. Their lips were bare inches apart.

Their eyes locked.

*** 

Heka slithered into the brightly lit room. "Scarab, what's going on?" she wanted to know.

"Look and see for yourself," he instructed her. He pointed to the bright portal. 

She gasped in amazement. Inside the portal was the silhouette of a female.

*** 

Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina gazed into each other's eyes. Neither one attempted to move away.

Their faces began to move closer.

*** 

The silhouette became more defined as it drew nearer. In the span of a few seconds, Scarab and Heka could see the face of the goddess. 

*** 

Suddenly, the music reached a crescendo and Ja-Kal realized what he was about to do. He spun Nefer-Tina away from him, breaking the spell the music had cast over them.

*** 

The portal suddenly gave off a burst of light, forcing Scarab and Heka to turn away. 

*** 

The music ended. Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina stepped apart. 

Neither could say a word.

*** 

Scarab felt the portal disappear, returning the room to a normal light level. He saw Heka hiding her head in her coils to protect her eyes. He turned around to see the result of his magical workings.

In the center of the room, where the portal had been, crouched a woman. Slowly, she stood up and coolly looked at her surroundings. Scarab smiled to himself.

Velasca had arrived. 

Chapter Ten:

Velasca, the God of Chaos, stood up to warily inspect her new surroundings. She was in a large high-vaulted chamber that she had never seen before. The design of the room was very unusual and unfamiliar. Where was she? How had she gotten here?

A moment ago, she had been sitting quietly in that infernal cell where she had been placed for all eternity when there had been a bright flash of light. She had closed her eyes for a second and opened them to find herself deposited in this place. Was this some sort of trick being played upon her? After centuries of imprisonment, she was in no mood for games.

The gods would pay dearly for what they had done to her if she ever got free. They might have taken her powers, but they did not have her mind. The time spent in her prison had not been idle. She had plotted her revenge time and time again. The day she got free would be the day the gods of Olympus would be sorry they ever heard of her. None more than Artemis.

Artemis the betrayer. Velasca had been raised to worship the patron goddess of the Amazons. As she grew older, she had come to realize the Goddess of the Hunt cared little for her followers and did nothing to help them. She had let the Nation fall almost completely apart.

As a goddess, Velasca was now her equal. She would punish her for her neglect. She would suffer the most of all the gods. Velasca would make sure of that. 

Suddenly, a noise behind her startled her out of her musings. On pure reflex, she spun around and gestured as if to loose a blast of lightning. To her own surprise and amazement, a streak of electricity flew from her hand and made a huge hole in one of the walls. Velasca's gaze went from the hole in the wall back to her own hand. She had been able to call her powers? She experimentally took aim at another section on the same wall and repeated her actions. To her satisfaction, another large hole materialized in the plaster. Her powers were indeed back. That could only mean one thing: she had been freed. And if that was true, that left only one question. Who had released her?

As if in answer to her unspoken question, a male voice broke the silence. "If you're through redecorating my laboratory, perhaps you'd like to know why you are here?"

Velasca turned to see a very old man standing next to the first hole in the wall. He was dressed in long purple robes that looked to be Egyptian. His skin was so pale it was almost pure white in color. In his hand he held a large golden snake staff that appeared to be alive. 

Straightening to her full height, she calmly approached the man. She looked him straight in the eyes. "You want something from me." It was not a question.

The man smiled sinisterly. "Very perceptive. I can also tell you're a woman who doesn't like to waste any time. Well, I'll get straight to the point. I want your help."

She laughed at the notion. "Why should I help you? I am a god. I don't owe you anything for freeing me."

"Because I can help you get your revenge," he said.

"I'm listening," she said, folding her arms.

"From what I've read about you, I know you believe in destiny. It is something I believe in as well."

"Many people do, but few ever achieve it. What does it have to do with my being here?"

"Everything. If you help me achieve my destiny, I will see that you get your revenge," he told her.

"And, what is this 'destiny' of yours?" she asked.

"Why, to rule the world, of course. But, first, I need to obtain my immortality. That is where you come in."

"You want me to help you become an immortal? And, how am I supposed to do that?" 

"All in good time. If you do this one small task, I will spare you from destruction. I will then let you take your revenge by wiping out all the other gods from existence in any way you see fit. And, I don't just mean the Greek ones. _All_ the gods. I want no one left who could oppose my rule or challenge my power."

"You forget, I will still be around. What's to keep me from taking your power?" she asked, a hint of challenge in her voice.

"In return for your assistance, you will be given a piece of the world to rule. You will be free to do with it as you please. The people there will be yours to control, to make into whatever you want. It will be your own empire."

She smiled slightly as she considered the idea. "You know me well, old man. I find your proposition...intriguing. We work together and we both get what we want in the end. So, tell me, what if I decline your generous offer?"

"Very simple. I will send you back to where I found you. You will then share the fate of the other gods when I am finally granted my immortality," he told her.

"But, on the other hand, what's to stop me from leaving right now and doing whatever I wish?" Again, there was a hint of challenge behind her words.

The man smiled at the goddess again. "Nothing. However, the world is quite different from the way you remember it. Things do not work like they used to. And, you aren't in Greece anymore. I think you will find it rather difficult to achieve your goals without me."

"Ah, I can see you're a man who doesn't like to leave anything to chance. I'm impressed. Maybe we can work together after all," Velasca said. "All right, old man. I accept your offer. But, I'll only help you on one condition."

For a moment, he looked as if he was going to explode with rage. The snake tried to shrink into its coils. Then, just as suddenly as it came, the anger was gone. In a cool, neutral tone, he said, "Name it."

"If I become dissatisfied with this arrangement at any time, I want an out. I want you to let me go, no questions asked. We will go our separate ways and I will not interfere in your world domination plans," she told him. "That is all I ask."

The man seemed to think this over for a minute. "Fine. I accept your 'one condition.' So, do we have a deal?"

"Yes. We have a deal."

"Wonderful. Now that we are going to be working together, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Scarab. This," he said, gesturing with the hand holding the golden snake staff, "is Heka." Heka glared at her but said nothing.

"And, you already know who I am. So, now that the introductions are out of the way, I suggest we get started. We have many details to discuss."

*** 

Hours later, Velasca sat in her guest quarters. Although she was a goddess and did not actually require sleep, she had retained the habit from her mortal existence. It had also given her something to do during her centuries of imprisonment. 

The mission Scarab required of her sounded ridiculously easy. It confirmed her initial assessment of him. He was a weak, over-confident old man with delusions of his own importance. He also turned out to be quite obsessive. So obsessive, in fact, that he had been trying to achieve these same goals for over 3500 years. 

Her assignment was to capture, alive, some thirteen year old brat so Scarab could take his soul. Apparently, he believed it would make him immortal. She wasn't so sure, but she would play along just in case it did. If it didn't, she had her way out of this little arrangement. And, if it did work, she would finally have her revenge. 

As Scarab had explained in detail, this boy, the reborn spirit of a Prince Rapses, was protected by the four original guardians of the prince. Although they had died the same day as their prince, by Scarab's hand, they had been resurrected to protect the current incarnation of their charge. They would not let him go without a fight. _Good_, Velasca thought, _I've been in need of a little action for centuries._

The actual mission itself would be no problem. As a god, she could easily handle anything those mummies could throw at her. No mortal weapon could harm her. The boy was as good as hers. 

There was only one small problem: Scarab did not know the name of this boy. She found it hard to believe that he had been after this boy for over a year and a half and he still did not know his true identity. That meant she would have to find him the old-fashioned way. It was only a matter of time before she found him.

And, after she caught the boy and eliminated his guardians, she would see if Scarab held up his end of the bargain. But, after that, he would no longer be needed. Velasca had her own plans for the world. If he believed that she was going to share it with him, he was a bigger fool than she thought. 

Velasca had no intention of letting Scarab have any power. She would use him to take her revenge on the gods of Mount Olympus and then all the other deities as well. After that, she would do whatever was necessary to get rid of him, immortal or not. It was her destiny to rule the world, not his.

Until then, she needed to let him to continue to believe he was the one holding all the power in their partnership. It was necessary to get him to completely trust her. And, she had just the way to do it.

During their hours of discussion, she had noticed that he had seemed attracted to her. Obviously, he had not had time to be with many women during his quest for power and immortality. She knew that she was a very beautiful woman and her body was quite shapely. It would be rather easy to make him fall in love with her. If he believed she loved him as well, then Scarab would never know what hit him when she finally pushed him out of the way. 

*** 

Heka was curled up in her urn. She did not like what was going on at all. Velasca was even worse than she had thought. She had a bad feeling about this whole plan. It was doomed to failure. 

Velasca may have appeared to have agreed to Scarab's plan, but Heka did not trust her at all. There was something very suspicious about the goddess. She hoped Scarab noticed it too. Velasca was extremely dangerous and unpredictable. His relentless quest for power may have finally led to his own downfall.

*** 

Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina walked out of the Crystal Room together. They were both laughing and smiling. The entire evening had been very nice and they both had enjoyed themselves immensely. Neither had mentioned what had happened out on the dance floor.

They stood on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant and turned to face each other. They both fell silent and their smiles faded. It was an awkward moment and neither knew what to say.

"Well, uh, I guess this is where we say goodbye for a while," Nefer-Tina said, breaking the silence. "I don't think it would be a good idea if we walked into the Sphinx looking like this." She smiled again.

Ja-Kal nodded in agreement. "All right. I'll see you when you get back." He started to walk away, but stopped and turned around. "Would you like me to hail a cab for you?"

"No, that's all right. You go on. I'll see you later," she told him. She watched him start off again. Then, something occurred to her and she shouted after him, "Ja-Kal, wait! I forgot to tell you something."

Ja-Kal stopped and came back. He stopped right in front of her. "What is it?" His voice sounded concerned. 

Nefer-Tina looked down at her feet. "I just wanted to thank you for tonight," she said softly. "I really had a good time. It was something I guess I needed. You're the best friend I ever had. I mean it. Thanks for being here for me."

Ja-Kal took her hands and she looked up at him. "It was my pleasure. I'm just glad I was able to help you." He paused for a moment. "And, thank _you_ for trusting me enough to share your past with me. I'm honored you consider me your best friend. I consider you mine as well."

"Thank you," she repeated. 

They stood there looking at each other for a moment longer. Ja-Kal gave her hands a final squeeze and released them. He took a step back from her. He was consumed by an overwhelming urge to take her in his arms and kiss her. He fought it down, remembering what had almost happened on the dance floor.

What had he been thinking? He had let his feelings get the better of him and he had almost kissed her! He had already crossed the line with her once that evening. Kissing her would have been even worse.

What would she have done? How would she have reacted? He did not know. He knew what he wished she would have done. He often found himself wondering if she had the same feelings for him that he had for her. Especially after the way she had acted tonight when he told her he had been worried about her... But, he would never find out. It would go against everything he had ever been taught or believed in to pursue a relationship with her. Besides, as he constantly kept telling himself, he was married.

"I'll see you when you get home," he finally said. He started walking away once more. When he reached the corner, he turned around once more to look at Nefer-Tina again. She had flagged down a cab and was opening the door. He watched her vanish inside the vehicle and waited until it pulled away from the curb before heading down the street. 

*** 

The cab driver left Nefer-Tina off at the park and she made her way to the courtesy locker area. She retrieved her things and entered the bathroom. It was time to become a mummy once more.

The grinned at her reflection in the mirror. What a night! There had been music, dancing, and conversation. It had been wonderful and exactly what she needed. She felt better than she had in weeks. Ironically, she owned it all to the very man who was causing all her emotional turmoil.

Ja-Kal really was a great friend, she mused. He had gone far out of his way to arrange everything. And, he had done it all just because he was worried about _her_. What had she done to deserve his friendship?

She sighed heavily. She loved him so much and tonight's events had only served to deepen her feelings for him. Feelings that would have to remain hidden. She knew that if he ever found out it would destroy their friendship. She would never forgive herself it that happened. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her in both her life and afterlife.

There had been several close calls during the evening where she had almost revealed everything. The first had been during his examination of her scars. The entire experience was still fresh in her mind. His touch had been so gentle and soft. It had been the most wonderful feeling to be touched by him. She knew it was the closest she would ever get to being intimate with him. However, that was nothing compared to what she had almost done during the tango.

For a moment, she had given into her feelings. He had been holding her so close to him after that one turn. It had just felt so right. If he hadn't spun her away when he did... She had almost kissed him! She couldn't believe it. She didn't even want to think about what he would have done. It was too painful.

She smiled at the memory of the rest of the dance. She had never known him to be a dancer before. He had been excellent, perhaps better than she was. When she asked him where had had learned to dance like that, he had admitted helping the young prince prepare for a school dance. They had watched videos and practiced together. Videos, ironically, that Presley had later given to her as a gift. 

Then, something occurred to her. During the entire evening, Ja-Kal had not said one word about her having to stop going to classes or working. The only time the topic had come up was when he was asking her about them. Did that mean he would let her continue as long as Scarab was not around? She would have to ask him about it later.

She began to scrub off her make-up. It was time to go home. 

*** 

Ja-Kal stood just inside the main entrance to the Sphinx, waiting for Nefer-Tina. His own disguise had been long since removed and he wore his bandages and kilt once again. In his hand, he held the small make-up compact he had taken. He wanted to give it back to her as soon as she arrived.

The substance contained inside was truly extraordinary. There was no way that anyone would ever question their appearance while they wore it. Nefer-Tina had used it for six months to go to college and sing at the club. Why hadn't she told him or the other two about it?

Nefer-Tina was a woman of many secrets. This was just another one she kept. But, it was rather insignificant compared to the one she had told him about. A secret that had left her scarred both physically and emotionally.

As he thought about her story, he finally remembered why her scars had seemed so familiar. And, now that he knew what had happened, it only made the remembered incident worse...

_It had been about two years before he had come to serve as Prince Rapses' head guardian. He was coming home late after spending an evening with Tia, who had only been his girlfriend at the time. He was walking down a deserted street that he had never taken before. Although he couldn't explain it, something had compelled him to walk there that night._

On his left, a dark alley appeared. As he passed it, he heard a sound. A very soft moan had emanated from the alley. He decided to investigate.

He quietly entered the shadowed space. There was very little light, but his trained eyes had no trouble seeing in the darkness. His gaze swept the entire area until it fell on something. In the very back, he saw a small shape crumpled on the ground. 

He silently approached. The shape let out another pitiful moan. He finally got close enough to see what it was. And, what he saw shocked him.

It was a girl, no older than fifteen or sixteen. Her dress was torn and drenched with blood. From the way she was positioned, he could see that her back was a complete mess. She was laying in a pool of her own blood. She appeared, mercifully, to be unconscious.

Who had done such a thing and why? No one should have to suffer like this. Especially not a child. The person responsible was a true monster. 

Ja-Kal knelt down and felt for a pulse. It was very weak. She had lost a lot of blood already and it had taken its toll on her. If she didn't get help immediately, she would die.

It was very late at night. No practitioner of the healing arts would be available to help her. He would have to tend to her himself. Part of his training to be a hunter had involved rudimentary first aid. He prayed to the gods it would be enough to save this girl's life.

He gently gathered her in his arms and picked her up. He felt the warm blood seep into his clothes as he held her tightly. He looked at the girl in his arms. She was very beautiful and so innocent looking. The perfect victim for a brutal crime of this nature.

He rushed home as fast as he could. He did not know why, but he was compelled to save this girl. The same way he was compelled to walk down the very street where he had found her. If he hadn't been there just now...

He pushed the thought out of his mind as he reached his house. He brought the girl into his bedroom and laid her on his bed. She moaned softly, but did not regain consciousness. He then left her to find whatever he could that could serve as medical equipment.

He returned a few minutes later with several items and a bowl of warm water to clean her up with. He put everything down on a table and pulled it close to the bed. It was time to begin.

The first thing to do was to remove the bloody, torn dress. He rolled her onto her stomach. He took a knife and slit the dress down the back. He carefully pulled it off of her and threw it onto the floor. He then turned to examine the injuries on her back.

The girl's back had been slashed four times, twice on each shoulder. Each cut traveled diagonally down her back and stopped just below the breast line. They were deep, but the person responsible had been an expert with a knife. No muscle or organs had been damaged. It was as if he had just been carving a design into her flesh.

The bleeding had stopped by now, which would make his next job a lot easier. Each gash would have to be sewn up. It would leave her with four terrible scars, but at least she would be alive. 

After he had finished that task several hours later, he began to check her for other injuries. She was badly cut and bruised all over her body. It would take her a very long time to recover from this incident, both physically and emotionally. 

And, that was not the worst of it. In the course of his examination, he discovered that she had been raped as well. Her assailant was indeed a monster. The worst kind. It was the most horrible crime that could be inflicted upon a woman, especially one this young. 

He finished his care of her by washing the blood and dirt off of her body. He discarded the remains of her tattered garment and put her in a dress he had bought for Tia. It was a little big on her, but it would have to do. He could not put her in his clothing. What woman would ever want to be dressed as a man? 

He finally put her to bed. He would let her sleep and then he would get her to tell him everything that had happened in the morning...

The next morning, she had been gone. He had gone out looking for her, thinking she could not have gotten very far in her injured condition, but she had completely disappeared. For years, he had wondered what had happened to her... Now, 3500 years later, he finally had his answer: the girl had been Nefer-Tina. 

The sound of someone approaching snapped his mind back to the present. He looked up to see Nefer-Tina coming from the park. She was carrying quite a few items, such as her backpack and dress. He immediately went over to help her bring her stuff in.

"Need a hand?" he asked her as he approached.

Nefer-Tina, who had been deep in thought, was taken by surprise and nearly dropped the dress. "Oh, Ja-Kal! I didn't see you there." She looked at him curiously. "Were you waiting for me?" she asked.

He took the dress from her grasp. "Yes, I was. I have something I need to give back to you."

"Oh, you mean the item you stole?" she teased good-naturedly.

"Borrowed," he amended. He put the compact in her outstretched hand. "I don't know where you found this product, but it is quite amazing. Why didn't you tell us about it?"

Nefer-Tina fiddled with the compact in her hands. "I, uh, found it is a specialty store that deals with skin disorders. Their products are designed to cover up any blemish or discoloration to give an appearance of normalcy," she explained. "I bought this when I decided to start going to school. I knew I needed a better way of blending in than just clothing if I didn't want to stand out." She paused for a moment, a look of guilt on her face. "I didn't tell you guys because I knew you'd start asking questions about it. I was afraid you'd figure out what I was doing and put a stop to it." She looked at him. "But, it looks like you did anyway." She smiled slightly as she tucked the compact in her purse.

"And, I'm glad I did. I really did enjoy tonight as well. I'm sorry we had such a poor beginning. I didn't mean to frighten you," he apologized.

She copied his oft-used gesture and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I know. I was just taken by surprise and I though you'd be angry at me like you usually are. But, I'm glad you weren't." She took her hand down and started walking into the Sphinx. "Now, let's put this stuff in the bedroom. You would not believe how heavy it is!"

He smiled and followed after her. She led him into the bedroom and directed him to lay the dress on the bed. She dumped her bag and purse on the floor by the closet.

"Thanks. I can handle it from here. You go ahead and get some rest and recharge." She turned around and opened the closet. As she knelt down on the floor, she threw him a glance over her shoulder. "By the way, thanks for not telling me that I have to quit school and my job. See you in the morning."

"Good night, Nefer-Tina." He watched her fiddle with her things for a second and then left the bedroom. He walked over to the wall where the four sarcophagi were neatly lined up. He opened his and stepped inside, pulling the lid shut. It was time to get some sleep.

Nefer-Tina turned around and looked at the now-occupied falcon sarcophagus from the doorway. "Good night, my love," she whispered.

She proceeded to put her things away and then went to sleep in her own stone coffin.

Chapter Eleven:

Scarab awoke from the best sleep he'd had in over 3500 years. For the first time since his failure in Egypt, he was certain of his victory. He _would_ attain his immortality and he _would_ rule the world. It was only a matter of time. And, he owed it all to his brilliant scheme to steal the Xena Scrolls.

Those ancient rolls of papyrus had contained all the information he needed to ensure the destruction of his hated enemies and the capture of the reborn prince. The best part was that he didn't even have to lift a finger. Velasca would do all the work for him. Then, he would destroy her with the rest of the gods. She would learn that men like him _never_ kept a promise.

However, he had to admit to himself that he found her very attractive. Indeed, she was a very beautiful woman. And, he had not been with a woman in such a long time... 

He shook his head. _Business before pleasure_, he reminded himself. She was here only because he needed her in order to fulfill his destiny. She was also as evil and cold-hearted as he was. People like them did not form attachments except of the physical kind. Maybe before he destroyed her...

He quickly dressed, eager to begin planning the final destruction of his bandaged adversaries. Once they were out of the way, the boy was as good as his. It would be interesting to see how Velasca would handle them. According to the Scrolls, she had a great love of pain, particularly inflicting it on others. He would definitely enjoy her torment of those accursed mummies.

He emerged from his bedchamber and entered the main area of the Pyramid. "Heka!" he shouted in the direction of the large urn in the center of the room. "Wake-up!"

The golden snake sleepily poked her head out of her urn. "Just five more minutes, Mommy," she drowsily murmured.

Scarab grabbed her and bodily pulled her out of the urn. "You've slept late enough. Go and bring our 'guest.' It's time for us to start planning our final victory." He dropped her onto the ground. "And, be quick about it!"

Heka muttered to herself and began slithering down the hall. "Why do I let him talk me into these things?" she complained. 

She finally reached the door of Velasca's room. "I hope she's a morning goddess," she said under her breath. She raised her tail and rapped loudly on the door. "Scarab wants to see you! Time to get up!" 

There was no response. Puzzled, she tried again. "Velasca! Scarab wants you! Get up!" Still no answer.

Heka did not know what to do. Why wasn't she answering? She didn't even think a goddess needed to sleep!

Finally, she reached up with her tail and hit the lock override. Breaking into a crazed goddess' room was probably not the smartest thing she had ever done. The door slid open and she crawled in.

The room was basically dark except for the little light coming from behind the lowered window shade. The bed had not been touched. Velasca was nowhere in sight. 

Scarab would not be happy.

*** 

Presley groaned for the millionth time that day as he plopped himself down on the nearest bench. This was definitely the last time he let the mummies "guard" him while he went shopping. All he wanted to do was find his mom the perfect gift for her upcoming birthday. Instead, he had spent most of the day keeping Armon fed so he would be quiet. Unfortunately, it wasn't working too well.

"Armon, you just ate five minutes ago. How could you be hungry again?" Presley asked.

"Easily!" was the cheerful reply.

Presley and the other three groaned in unison. 

"I don't think it's possible for him to ever satisfy that bottomless pit he calls a stomach," Rath put in dryly.

"Yeah!" Armon agreed before realizing that he had just been insulted. "Hey!"

Presley laughed and shook his head. "Now, if we could get back to shopping for my mom for a minute? It's starting to get kind of late in the afternoon and I'd like to be home in time for dinner."

"Where would you like to try next, my prince?" Ja-Kal asked.

"Um," Presley said as he looked around at all the stores, "there! That jewelry store over there. I bet there's a lot of great stuff inside that I could find." He stood up and started walking off. "Come on, guys. Let's go." His guardians followed dutifully along after him.

"I still don't see the point of this useless activity," Rath said as they walked. "I really don't know why you won't let me make your mother a present. Why, anything _I_ create will be so much better than any gift you buy in a mere store."

"It's nothing personal, Rath. I mean, all your stuff is great," Presley told him.

"Of course it is!" Rath huffed indignantly.

"This is just something I feel I should do," Presley continued. "She's been so busy with the Xena exhibit and now the theft that she hasn't had any time for herself. I think she forgot her own birthday's coming up. I figured I'd just get her something special, you know? To show her what a great mom she is," he finished.

"I think that's sweet," Nefer-Tina said. She had been quiet most of the day, mostly speaking only with Ja-Kal. "I know she'll love anything you get her."

"Thanks, Nef," Presley said. 

"I'm still hungry," Armon complained to no one in particular as they approached the jewelry store.

"Oh, all right," Presley said digging into his pockets. "Here's ten dollars. Go get yourself something."

"Thank you, o' prince! You are most generous!" Armon said, all smiles once again. He walked off, looking for the nearest restaurant.

"You know, for someone who supposedly has no stomach anymore, he sure puts his to good use," Presley commented. "Now that I'm thinking about it, you guys don't have _any_ organs. It's scientifically impossible for you to even be walking or talking either. It's pretty weird, you know? I mean, you're mummies but you act and, sort of, look like normal people."

"We were awakened by very powerful magic," Rath told him. "Even I, as difficult as it is to admit, do not understand it."

"Sometimes I wonder about that too," Nefer-Tina said thoughtfully. "I don't feel any different from when I was alive. I can think and feel. I experience emotions and physical pain. I get hungry and tired. We all do. Isn't that all just part of being alive? Being human?"

"I guess so," Presley said. "I even have first-hand experience being a mummy from our little adventure with Bes. And I didn't _feel_ dead. Not that I'd know what it felt like," he grinned. "Being a cat, however, is another story. I'm very happy being a human, thank you very much. Using a litterbox sucks!" His grin turned mischievous. "Which reminds me, if Kahti has to use a litterbox-"

"Yes," Rath cut him off before he could finish the sentence. "We are, um, as fully functional in that respect as you are."

"Ew, gross!" the thirteen year old said. His expression grew even more wicked. "I guess that means you guys could also-"

"Don't even go there," Nefer-Tina quickly interjected, looking quite embarrassed at the thought. "Get your mind out of the gutter right now!"

"You are much too young to be thinking of such things," Rath chided him.

"I think we better end this conversation right now and enter the store," Ja-Kal sternly said. "You lead the way, Presley."

Presley, who was enjoying this conversation immensely, knew that tone of voice and decided not to argue with his head guardian. "Yeah, okay. I think I know what to look for." He pushed open the door and led the other three inside.

*** 

Velasca stood across the street and watched them enter the store. She was dressed in modern apparel, a disguise to help her blend in among the throngs of people walking the streets of the Bay Area. For a moment, she entertained the thought of following them, but decided the risk of detection was too great. She had been following them all day, studying and learning all she could about her quarry. She wanted to be ready for when she finally destroyed them.

Her observation of their activities had left her rather unimpressed. In the battle footage Scarab had shown her last night, she had witnessed four highly skilled warriors in action. Today, with the exception of their leader, they seemed to be nothing of the sort. They constantly bickered among themselves and disagreed on almost everything. They split up on many occasions, leaving their charge with only one protector. And, only the head guardian, Ja-Kal, seemed to be looking for any danger. The rest of them seemed to be shirking their responsibilities. They even let a mere child tell them what to do, for Zeus' sake! Scarab was obviously more pathetic than she thought.

Over the course of several hours observation, Velasca had mostly figured out her adversaries. They were a pretty mismatched group, in her opinion. How they ever learned to work together as a team was beyond her. It was no wonder Scarab had gotten lucky in Ancient Egypt and destroyed them. 

The easiest to dispose of would be the fat, one-armed guardian. Armon was a walking trash collector. Food seemed to be the only thing on his non-existent mind. The entire day he had been more interested in eating than protecting the boy. Every few seconds, it seemed, he was hungry again, even if he had just consumed a large amount of food. She wondered who he had bribed to be assigned as a royal guardian.

Next came Rath, the egotistical scribe and magician. He was prissy and condescending towards everyone around him. He obviously thought himself to be above everyone else and constantly informed his companions of his superior status. Well, she would just have to show him how wrong he was when she finished him off. It would be quite satisfying to wipe that smirk off of his face.

The leader of this little group, Ja-Kal, would provide a challenge, she knew. He was a true fighter and knew it. She could see it in every move he made and by the way he carried himself. He was also on constant alert for even the slightest hint of danger. It would most definitely be fun going one-on-one with him. Hopefully, he would last long enough for her to really enjoy herself. She would savor killing him.

That only left the woman. In the fights she had viewed, Nefer-Tina had been an energetic warrior, cracking jokes along with her whip at every opportunity. She had also been highly skilled, probably almost as good as Ja-Kal, if not better. If she had lived in Greece, there was no doubt that she would have made a powerful Amazon warrior. However, the woman she had watched today seemed like an entirely different person. 

Nefer-Tina had displayed none of the energy or extreme personality that had been her trademarks during battle. She was quiet and withdrawn. There was also an aura of sadness clinging tightly around her. It was as if the spark had gone right out of her. 

Velasca had hoped to save her for last, but in her current emotional state it did not seem likely. It would not be an even fight. Nefer-Tina was obviously distracted by something and her fighting skills would most likely suffer from it. A true pity.

Velasca glanced at the sky. It was growing late in the day and she was sure Scarab was not happy with her for leaving without telling him. Well, she would just have to make sure he saw things her way from now on. If he wanted her help, he would just have to accept that she did things her own way. No one told the God of Chaos what to do. 

No one. 

*** 

Inside the jewelry store, Nefer-Tina browsed the display cases, admiring the various necklaces, earrings, rings, and bracelets. They were some of the most beautiful pieces she had even seem. Every precious gem imaginable could be found. She knew the young prince would find his mother a wonderful gift here.

Presley, meanwhile, had dragged Ja-Kal and Rath with him, announcing his intention to buy the "most epic pair of earrings" he could find. Nefer-Tina had had to stifle her laughter at the expression on Ja-Kal's face. It was obvious this was not something he enjoyed doing. Rath, on the other hand, had offered his expertise in the manner of gift buying. Nefer-Tina had snuck away before the boy could suck her into his plot as well. 

She finished the row of necklaces she had been browsing and looked up to see where to check out next. She noticed a small glass case separate from the others. It was set on a pedestal in the middle of the floor. A small spotlight hung down from the ceiling above the case. Curious, she slowly approached it and peered inside. What she saw took her breath away. 

Inside was the most beautiful necklace she had ever laid her eyes on. A large white opal, its fire sparkling in the spotlight, had been cut into a delicate heart shape. The gem had been set in a gold pendant, which had been worked to appear braided. It hung from a gold rope chain which was threaded through the tiny hoop on top of the necklace. Sitting next to the necklace were the matching earrings and ring.

"Did you find something you like?" a voice asked from behind her.

She turned around to see Ja-Kal standing there. "Yeah. So, what are you doing over here? What happened with the earring search?"

Ja-Kal sighed heavily. "They decided that I was not _qualified_ enough to help them. It seems my taste is not as refined as theirs is."

Nefer-Tina laughed. "Well, it's their loss. I think you have excellent taste."

"Thank you," he told her. He gestured to the case in front of them. "Let me take a look at what you found." She stepped aside as he peered into the glass case. "It is truly a beautiful necklace."

"I love it. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before." She smiled wryly. "Not that I ever had a chance to wear such fine jewelry. Would've given my identity away pretty quickly, don't you think?" 

He smiled back at her. Before he could say a word, a new voice interjected "Would you like to try it on?" from behind them. They turned around to see a smiling salesman. "I could take it out of the case for you."

Nefer-Tina glanced longingly at the necklace, but shook her head. "I don't think so," she started to say.

"I'd like to see it on her," Ja-Kal interrupted. Nefer-Tina looked up at him in surprise. "If you don't mind, of course," he said to her. 

The salesman said nothing and walked around to the other side of the display case. He pulled a keyring out of his pocket and selected a key. He inserted it into the lock and opened the case. Very gently, he lifted the opal necklace off of its velvet stand and held it out to Nefer-Tina.

"Here, let me," Ja-Kal said, taking the necklace from the man before she could accept it. He carefully opened the tiny clasp and moved to stand behind her.

Nefer-Tina could hardly breathe. This was the third time in two days that she had been so close to him. 

"Lift up your hair," he directed her. As she swept her long white mane off of her back, he slipped the pendant around her neck. She felt his fingers softly brush her skin as he fastened the clasp. He stepped away from her. "Turn around." 

She let her hair fall back down and twirled to face him. "Well? How do I look?"

"Beautiful," he told her truthfully. Then, he caught himself and said, "I mean, the necklace looks beautiful on you. Go see for yourself."

She walked over to the nearest mirror and glanced at her reflection. "I absolutely love it," she said as she fingered the sparkling gem. "I would give anything to get it."

"Why don't you?" Ja-Kal asked as he came up next to her. "I'm sure you have enough money from working by now." 

"Tuition, remember? I have to put everything I make from my singing into school," she explained. She sighed and took off the necklace. She glanced at the tiny pricetag attached to the chain. It was over three thousand dollars. "Maybe someday, if I started working full-time, I'd be able to buy it."

They walked back to where the salesman was patiently waiting. "Thank you," Nefer-Tina told him. "But I won't be taking this today."

He nodded and took the piece back from her. "Too bad. It suited you well."

"Thanks," she smiled. She turned back to Ja-Kal. "Let's go see how the experts are doing."

He took one more look at the necklace and then nodded at his teammate. "Lead the way."

They walked off towards the counter where Presley and Rath appeared to be arguing with a rather pale salesman.

*** 

Velasca materialized inside the Pyramid. She once again wore her Amazon clothing since she no longer needed to remain unnoticed. It was time to set all of her plans into motion.

She found Scarab sitting in his study. He appeared to be reading something and taking notes. She walked over and stood in front of his desk.

"Ah, so you have decided to come back. Where have you been?" he demanded to know, looking up from his desk.

"Doing the job you freed me to do," she told him. "I spent the day studying my prey."

"Studying? What do you mean studying?" he asked, his voice raised in anger. "I thought I made it very clear that you were supposed to bring me the boy and destroy those accursed mummies. Why haven't you done so yet?"

Velasca smiled evilly. "Patience. A good hunter studies her prey before moving in for the kill. I want to know everything about them. Their strengths. Their weaknesses. It will make defeating them so much more pleasurable. I want to make them suffer."

"Maybe I was a bit hasty with my anger," Scarab conceded. "My apologies. After all this time, I am growing impatient waiting for my immortality." 

"And, you'll get it," she purred. "In fact, I already have a plan."

Scarab raised an eyebrow. "Really? Let's hear it then."

"What do you know about Xena, the warrior princess?" she asked him.

"I know everything that was written in the Scrolls about her," he answered. "What did you have in mind?"

"Xena had an archenemy. A woman by the name of Callisto. I only met her once, and it was not on the best of terms."

"As I recall, you two started fighting on a rope bridge over a lava pit and Xena cut the rope. I would say it's her fault you were stopped in the first place. Without her interference, you would have had your revenge on Gabrielle."

"She was quite irritating," Velasca agreed. "To get to the point, if I found her to be an annoying pain in the side, why wouldn't anyone else as well? If she could distract the mummies long enough, which, in my opinion, would be fairly easy, that would free me to bring you the boy. Once you have him, it won't matter how long I decide to toy with them. Your immortality is yours to take at your leisure."

Scarab seemed to ponder this for a moment. "An interesting tactic. She would keep them busy while you captured the brat." He tapped his fingers against the surface of his desk. "Unfortunately, she happens to be dead. I think it would be rather difficult to convince her to help us."

"Dead? She was a goddess. I saw her eat the ambrosia with my own eyes," she told him. "I know of nothing that can kill one of us."

"I see you've never heard of the golden hind." She shook her head. "They were a mystical animal whose blood was the only substance in existence able to kill a god. In fact, Callisto killed another god, Strife, the nephew of Ares, with it before later having Xena stab her."

"How fitting, the creator kills her creation. Well, I guess that means I'm going to have to retrieve her from Tartarus then. I'm sure I can easily restore her to life for our purposes."

"She is not in Tarturus either. She happens to be in Paradise, with no memories of her life as a warlord, thanks to our dear friend Xena," Scarab informed her.

Velasca folded her arms. "I guess a little time travel is in order. I'll just have to find her _before_ Xena does. Time is nothing to a god. The ability to traverse it just happens to be something Zeus doesn't approve of. But, I've never been too fond of him either." 

Scarab stood up and smiled. "I like how you think. Your plan definitely has possibilities." He walked around and stood in front of her. "I know I made the right choice in freeing you."

She matched his smile and leaned provocatively back against his desk. "You made the _only_ choice. We were destined to meet. We are very much alike."

"I agree. We both live for power and destruction. Nothing can stand in the way of our destinies," he said. 

She stood up and moved closer to him. "Anyone who tries will wish they had never been born." She laid her hand on his cheek. "It has been such a long time since I've been with a man. How long since you had a woman?"

"Too long." With that, he kissed her hard. 

It was a kiss of pure lust. There was nothing romantic about it at all. They pressed their bodies together tightly, hands clutching at clothing. Scarab started unlacing Velasca's top as he continued kissing her mouth. She yanked his hat off and threw it. 

She broke the kiss, breathing heavily. "I suggest we move this somewhere else."

Scarab, also panting, nodded. "I know just the place." He pulled her to him again and kissed her once more.

They finally made it to his bedchamber, leaving a trail of clothing behind them. Velasca shoved Scarab roughly onto the bed and sauntered casually around to the other side. She crawled in and positioned herself over his body. He grabbed her, pulled her into another kiss, and rolled her onto her back. 

Velasca, not to be dominated over, kicked out her leg and knocked him over. She easily placed herself over him again and pinned him down easily with her superior strength.

"I'm always on top," she told him huskily before kissing him harshly. "Don't ever forget it."

"You may just have to keep reminding me." With that said, he pulled her down on top of him.

They spent the rest of the night repeatedly sharing carnal pleasures. 

  
  



	6. Chapter 12 to Chapter 14

Chapter Twelve:

Callisto was in Hell. Literally. 

After dear Xena had stabbed her with the knife covered in hind's blood, she had found herself in this cheery little spot. To say she was upset to be denied oblivion once more would be an understatement. And, if things weren't already bad enough, there was the torture.

Callisto was endlessly assaulted by phantom images of Xena and Gabrielle. They taunted her, teased her; keeping her in constant misery and pain. She couldn't escape them. This was to be her punishment for all eternity.

It wasn't fair! Why her? What had she done? She was _not_ the guilty one! It was all Xena. Xena was the one who should be suffering, not her. Everything she had done, had become, was because of Xena.

Xena. Her creator. Her destroyer. The day the Destroyer of Nations had arrived at Cirra was a day that would forever remain burned in Callisto's memory. That was the day she began down her path of death and destruction. A path dedicated only to one thing: making Xena suffer the same way she had suffered. And, for a moment, she had succeeded.

In an ironic twist of fate, Gabrielle's daughter, Hope, the evil demon-child of Dahak, killed Xena's beloved son Solan. Xena's screams of pain and heartbreak had been music to her ears. However, her elation at her victory was short-lived. 

Callisto had been driven by the belief that once she had made Xena pay for the death of her family, she would be able to move on. In her mind, she was only doing the right thing and was not guilty of any crimes. After all, she was just bringing down a monster. A monster who had the blood of countless innocents on her hands. But, when she finally repaid Xena, nothing changed.

She felt no different. Instead, her passionate anger and lust for revenge were replaced by an emptiness. She no longer felt anything. She had become a shell of her former self. In the end, Xena still won. All she had left was the hope of finding peace in oblivion. And, she was even denied that.

Since her arrival in this dark place, her hatred of Xena, if at all possible, had seemingly grown stronger. Her only comfort was in the fact that she knew Xena was now all alone. The irritating blonde had taken a plunge into a lava pit with her daughter in an attempt to save Xena's life. The poor dear had always been so deluded! Now, she had paid for her stupid belief in Xena's goodness. The thought of Xena's pain at her loss gave Callisto a small bit of relief from her torment. Plus, it had been a great way to get Xena to stab her! Too bad it hadn't turned out exactly like she planned. Oh, well.

She turned her attention back to the ghostly figures of Xena and Gabrielle. They were, as usual, saying something annoying that she didn't really feel like listening to right now. In a fit of rage, she picked up the nearest sword and took a swing at them, releasing an ear-piercing scream in their direction. The sword passed through the phantoms as it always did, striking nothing but air. The figures rippled then disappeared. 

She heaved a sigh of relief. They were gone for the moment. She didn't have very long before they returned, so she decided to make the most of it. She laid down on the ground and closed her eyes. Hopefully, she would dream of killing Xena in a slow and painful fashion. That always made her feel better!

Suddenly, she began to feel very strange. She opened her eyes to see a bright light surrounding her. She tried to move without any success. Whatever strange force this was had her in a strong grip. All of her struggling did nothing but tire her out. She screamed in frustration as the world faded out for a moment. When it finally came back, she looked around in surprise. She was no longer in Hell. 

"Welcome, Callisto. It's been a long time," a very familiar voice said.

She wildly looked around until she found the source of the voice and smiled brightly when recognition instantly set in. "Well, if it isn't my dear friend Velasca! Long time no see! Let me guess? Was that lava pit getting lonely without me?"

A flicker of annoyance passed over Velasca's features. "I see you haven't changed any. Still as charming as ever." She folded her arms and said, "But, this isn't a social visit. The only reason you're here is because I have a little proposition for you. Something that I think you will find quite interesting."

Callisto giggled. "My, am I flattered! I'm only here a minute and you have already insulted me and offered me a job! What an honor!" Her expression momentarily turned serious. "So, what fun activity do you have planned for me? I do hope dear Xena is involved. I never got the chance to _thank_ her for stabbing me, you know." She grinned wildly again. "Oh, by the way, do you know your precious little Gabby is dead? Seems she took a little fall. I guess you missed your chance at revenge!"

Velasca coldly smiled at her. "My, my, aren't we a little out of touch? I guess news doesn't travel very fast in Hell. Not only was Gabrielle not killed, but she and Xena both died again later and came back to life. But, since you're dead, you wouldn't know all that, would you? Besides, that all happened a very long time ago. Welcome to the twentieth century."

"Twentieth century? That means..." her voice trailed off.

"Yes, you are now in the future. And, we're not in Greece anymore. I'm afraid Xena and Gabrielle have both been long dead for centuries. Oops! I guess that means you missed your chance at revenge too," Velasca taunted her.

"You know, I'm starting to remember why I wanted to kill you," Callisto thoughtfully said. She reflexively reached back to draw her sword and was surprised to find it there. She looked down and noticed she was wearing her customary outfit instead of the white dress she had had since her arrival in Hell. With her other hand, she felt that her shorn hair had returned to its normal length. She slowly drew her sword all the way out. "And, since Xena isn't here to keep me busy, I guess I'll just have to settle for a rematch!" With that said, she let out a scream and charged Velasca.

Velasca reached for her own weapon, eager to have a little fun. But before she could take a swing at the insane goddess, a blast of energy sent Callisto flying against a wall. 

Callisto groaned in pain as she raised herself to her hands and knees. She had the feeling that she wasn't quite dead anymore. She glared in the direction that the blast had come from and saw an old man lowering his hand. "Now is that any way to treat a guest? I'm insulted."

"I really don't care," the man answered her, anger and impatience in his voice. "As Velasca told you, the only reason you're here is because _I_ have a use for you. I won't tolerate this childish behavior. From either of you," he continued, pointedly looking at Velasca as well.

Callisto stood up. "_You_ have a use for me? And, just who are you? Velasca's new playmate?"

"Be very careful with how you address me. You're only here and alive because of _my_ magic. If you agree to my offer, Velasca will restore you to full god status. Otherwise, you're going straight back to Hell," he sternly told her.

Callisto laughed and turned to Velasca. "I like your new friend. He's just as annoying as you are." She turned her attention back to the man. "Your silly threats don't frighten me, old man. I'm quite used to Hell by now. But, I still don't know who you are or what you want." 

He nodded. "My name is Scarab. What I want from you is very simple. I want you to do what you do best. Go and destroy a few places in the city. Burn anything and anyone you like except for one little boy, who you will learn about shortly. It is that simple."

"What's the catch?"

"No catch," he promised. "Only a reward for your help."

Callisto cocked her head. "A reward? What could you possibly offer me?"

"The one thing you have longed for since the destruction of your family."

"Peace," she said, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Peace," he nodded. "Oblivion. Something not even death could give you." "Ooh, I think I'm going to like it here!" Callisto began to laugh wildly.

*** 

On Mount Olympus, the goddess named Tia approached the throne of her mentor Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and patron to the Greek Amazons. The Tracker of the Gods kneeled and bowed her head.

"You summoned me, Great Huntress?" 

Artemis smiled slightly at the mortal-turned-goddess in front of her. It was very rare for Tia to show respect to anyone, even the other gods. "Rise, my protégé. I have a mission for you," she commanded.

Tia rose up to her full height. "What must I do?"

"Two dangerous enemies of both the gods and the Amazons have been set free into the world. It is the will of Zeus and myself that they be brought before us for justice," Artemis explained.

"Who are they?" Tia asked.

"One is the goddess Callisto. Someone has gone back in time and taken her from Hell almost exactly one day prior to her involvement in the Julius Caesar affair. If she is not stopped and returned to her proper place, it will have grave consequences on our timeline and existence."

"Has there been any affect yet on our Callisto?"

"No. She still remains in Paradise with her family. However, her release is what alerted us to the absence of the other. It is believed she is the one responsible for allowing the unknown third party to bring Callisto to the present." Artemis paused and looked Tia directly in the eyes. "She was taken from her prison here on Olympus."

"Velasca," Tia growled softly. She clenched her fists tightly in centuries-old anger. "I've been waiting a long time to confront that bitch again. How long has she been out?"

Artemis mentally flinched at the vehemence in the other woman's voice. "As far as the Fates can tell, Callisto was taken from the past not more than four hours ago. Velasca must have been freed at least a day or two earlier." The first encounter between Tia and Velasca had not gone well. The battle had quickly turned personal for the two former Amazons and only the timely intervention of Xena had prevented Tia from breaking several sacred laws.

"Their current location is unknown. That is why your services are required. You are the best hunter and tracker I have ever known. If anyone can find them, it is you," Artemis told her.

"Thank you, my teacher," Tia accepted the compliment, the anger and hatred still apparent in her voice. "I will not fail you." 

The Goddess of the Hunt nodded. "I know you won't. However, mind your feelings towards Velasca. Don't let them distract you from your mission," she warned her. "If you are not careful, your anger will be your downfall."

Tia glared angrily at Artemis. "My feelings are _not_ your concern. I will handle my quarry in any way _I_ see fit. There is no need for you or Zeus to worry. Your 'justice' will be served." 

"You hate her."

"Extremely."

"Even more than the other one?" Artemis knew she was treading on dangerous ground by bringing _her_ up. 

"How dare you," Tia accused furiously. "I will _never_ hate anyone more than her. You_ know_ that. She tried to take my love away from me. For that, I will never forgive her."

Artemis shook her head and sighed. This was the only subject Tia refused to discuss, yet it was the one she most needed to talk about. "This is what I meant. This woman has been out of your life for 3500 years, yet you still harbor these feelings of animosity towards her. Don't you think it's time to let it go?"

"Let it go? Let it go?!" Tia asked incredulously. "How can you even say that? You weren't there. You didn't see the way she looked at him, even after I warned her what would have happened if she ever touched him. You have no idea what it was like to know that she was with him all the time. He spent more time with her than me." She smiled in a way that made Artemis very uneasy. "She deserved everything she got, although I personally think death was too good for her."

"How did she die?" the senior goddess asked, dreading the answer for some unknown reason. 

"She and my husband were two of the guardians of the crown prince. The prince, Rapses, had disappeared and the guardians were sent to find him. Little did they know that they were walking into a trap," Tia narrated, the anger lessened in her tone. "My husband, Rapses, and the other two guardians died out on the battlefield. The tramp was still alive when a second search party went looking for them. She lived long enough to tell the pharaoh the identity of the assailant, who just happened to be his most trusted advisor."

Tia paused and smiled another of her mysterious smiles. "It's funny, the royal physician said she should have made a complete recovery. She died a few days later anyway." Her expression quickly changed into one of pure business. "But, you didn't summon me here to talk about my past. Is there anything else you wish me to do?"

"It is imperative that you also find the mysterious third party involved. This individual or group of individuals is to be stopped by any means necessary. I leave the method of punishment entirely up to you," Artemis told her, knowing the full implications of her statement. She had seen Tia's "punishments" before and felt ill just thinking about them. Even Ares could be more humane than the Tracker of the Gods. 

"I understand. Thank you, Great Huntress. I promise that I will not fail you," Tia vowed.

"Of your success, I have no doubt. But, I beg you, remember what I have said this day. I wish you a good journey."

Tia knelt and bowed once again and teleported herself away. 

"She's pretty intense, huh, sis?" said a voice next to Artemis. She turned to see her sister, Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, materialize next to her. "I definitely do not want to be on that girl's bad side!" 

"What do you want, Aphrodite?"

"Can't a girl just visit her sister? Besides I was in the neighborhood. I was visiting my baby boy and his family. Bliss is growing into a big boy," she told her. "So, what's up with Miss Attitude? Who was that person she was having a hissy fit about?"

"I'm not exactly sure of the entire story myself, but apparently, before she came to Greece, she was married and another woman developed a crush on her husband," Artemis explained. 

"Ooh, let me guess! Our sweet little Miss Attitude didn't take it too well, did she?"

"I have a feeling she may have had a hand in this girl's death, but that's nothing more than a suspicion right now," Artemis told her.

"That's way harsh! I knew Tia was a bad girl, but not that bad," Aphrodite said in astonishment. 

Artemis looked at her sister curiously. "Do you think she still loves her first husband?"

"I don't think she loves anymore, period. The only thing I think she does is hate everyone," the Love Goddess said. "She really scares me," she continued. "And, very few things scare me. Well, very few things besides bad hair days." 

"I think you're right," Artemis nodded in agreement. "I just hope she can keep her hatred under control for the duration of this mission. I fear the consequences if she fails."

"Bummer."

Chapter Thirteen:

Matt plopped himself down on his couch for a nice, long nap. After suffering through two boring lectures, all he wanted to do was sleep. 

Just as he was about to jump headfirst into dreamland, the phone rang. "Man," he grumbled as he reached behind him to grab the ringing menace. 

"This better be good," he told the person on the other side, not really caring who it was.

"Oh, it's good all right," came the energetic reply. It was none other than Kait. "Operation: Scroll Search is a go!"

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Matt asked her, knowing full-well that she did.

"Yeah, I do," she said, matter-of-factly. "It's two o'clock. In other words, nap time."

"Very good," he told her. "Since we're clear on that issue, I'll talk to you later. Bye!"

"Not so fast! Hold it right there, buster!" Kait exclaimed. "If you think I'm letting you off so easily, think again!"

"Kaity! This is part of my Tuesday-Thursday routine. You know me, pretty set in my ways and all that jazz," he tried.

"Yeah, right. Come on, this'll be fun." 

"Yes, if illegally trespassing on a crime scene is your idea of fun," he countered. "I think I'll be sitting this one out, thank you very much. I can't afford to end up in jail right now."

"Aw, come on! We can pull it off easily. No sweat! Trust me," Kait implored.

"Trust you? Do you remember what happened the last time you asked me to trust you and go along on one of your crazy schemes? We ended up in detention for a week!" Matt reminded her. "There's no way I'm coming!"

"That was back in high school! Besides, it wasn't _my_ fault! We were set up!" Kait defended. "But, anyway, that's not the point. The point is that Aunt Miranda needs our help. We both know that the police aren't going to find crap."

Matt got quiet as he thought about it for a minute. Finally, he said, "Why do I let myself get talked into these things?"

"Because you love them as much as I do," Kait teased. 

"You realize that we have class tonight don't you?" he asked her.

"Don't worry about it. We can copy Tina's notes tomorrow night. You know how thorough she is," she told him. "That girl hasn't missed one class all year! She's crazy, I tell you!"

Matt heaved a sigh. "So, where do I meet you and Aunt Miranda?"

"In front of that sphinx-thing. Aunt Miranda thinks there may be some kind of entrance to the museum inside it," she informed him. "Be there in an hour."

"I'll see you then. Bye," he said as he hung up. He could just picture the victorious expression on her face at convincing him to help her once again. As usual, he found himself agreeing to join her on one of her crazy quests. One day, his inability to resist her was going to get him into trouble. 

*** 

Presley and his friend Walter Lu brought their skateboards to a halt in front of the entrance to Golden Gate Park. School was out for the day and the boys decided it was a perfect day to get in some serious skating practice.

"So, Presley," Walter said, "you're not planning on pulling a repeat performance today, are you?"

Presley cringed. He had been in the middle of attempting a very difficult move when he had caught the mummies in the corner of his eye. Taken by surprise, he had lost control of his board and landed flat on his butt. He had given Ja-Kal quite a lecture that day, not that it had done any good. The hunter was just as overprotective as ever.

"Hey, I was distracted!" Presley defended himself. "It's not like you've never fallen either."

"Yeah, but the _way_ you fell was classic," Walter teased. "That scream of yours is really adorable!"

Presley grinned, "You're asking for it, aren't you?"

"Who me?" Walter replied innocently.

"No, your sister!" Presley exclaimed. "Speaking of Cynthia, how is she these days?"

"Besides being the most popular freshman in her class? She's still a major pain in the butt." Walter cocked an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you still have a thing for her."

"I'm way over her," Presley reassured him. "Believe me. I finally realized that she wasn't my type."

"And, just who exactly is your type? Mary Sue O'Brian?"

At the mention of Mary Sue's name, both boys began to laugh hysterically. Mary Sue, a recent transfer student from a catholic school, was the biggest slut in the entire student body. Rumors abounded about her immoral activities being the reason she was kicked out of her previous school.

"Yeah, I can just see it now. I become Mary Sue's number one boy toy," Presley joked. "I'd be the envy of every guy in the school."

"Almost every guy. I already have my eyes set on someone else," Walter told him, mock-seriously.

"Who?"

"Your mom!" Walter blurted as he skated off into the park. "Race you to the pit!"

"You're going down, Lu! No one talks about my mom like that, except me!" Presley shouted after him. "See you after you come in second place!" He raced after him. 

*** 

Callisto materialized in a secluded area of the park. Her assignment was to attract the attention of the mummies and keep them busy while Velasca grabbed the boy. 

She inspected her surroundings. She was in a wooded area filled with tall trees. There were no people around for her to terrorize. Hmm, she would just have to go looking for some! Causing destruction was no fun without an audience!

She went off looking for victims.

*** 

"Glad you could join us, sleeping beauty," Kait commented as Matt arrived at the museum.

Miranda smiled at him. "Thanks for coming. We can really use your help."

"Sure. No problem. Breaking into a crime scene is one of my favorite hobbies," Matt told her sarcastically. 

Kait punched him in the arm. "Very funny."

"It was, wasn't it?" Matt told her.

"Cut the antics, you two," Miranda interrupted them. She spread out a map on the top of a flat brick wall. "I grabbed this the last time I was in the museum. This shows the layout of both the main building and the sphinx attached to it."

Kait peered at the map. "Look at this, the corridor right here, which begins inside the sphinx, leads right into the exhibit behind the Xena Scrolls room." She pointed with her finger. "Here's what I think we're gonna do..." 

*** 

Velasca followed the boy's trail to Golden Gate Park. This was the same place she had sent Callisto to create a distraction to attract the guardians. If the boy was here as well...

She smiled to herself at all the possibilities that had just sprung up before her. She would be able to destroy the mummies and grab the boy in one swift blow. It would be a most enlivening afternoon. 

*** 

Presley and Walter were almost to the skateboarding pit when they were assaulted by the sound of screaming and running.

"What's going on?" Walter asked, a little nervous at the sound of the mass panic.

Presley fingered his amulet. "I don't know," he told Walter, "but I think we should go check it out."

"Are you crazy? It could be dangerous!" Walter warned him.

"Exactly! People could need our help," Presley reasoned.

"But, we're just kids. What could we do?"

"Come on, Walter! At least come with me to see what's happening," Presley told him.

"Oh, okay," he gave in. "Let's go."

The two boys swiftly skated off in the direction the sounds of commotion were coming from. When they arrived on the scene, their mouths dropped open in complete shock. A woman, who was dressed in a strange leather outfit, was literally shooting fire from her hands and burning everything in sight. She was laughing wildly and attacking anyone or anything that got near her. There were several bodies, either dead or badly injured, scattered throughout the area.

"I think we'd better get out of here," Walter stammered, his voice full of fear and shock.

"Yeah," Presley managed, unable to pull his eyes away from the carnage, " I think you're right. Let's go!"

As they skated away, Presley lagged a little behind and grabbed his amulet. "Guys, you better get to the park RIGHT NOW!"

*** 

Inside the Sphinx, the mummies were jolted out of their rest by their amulets and the sound of their prince's voice. The four guardians bolted out of their sarcophagi.

"Our prince needs us!" Ja-Kal told the others.

"With the strength of Ra!" the four shouted simultaneously to call their armor. Immediately, their animal armor appeared around their bodies.

Rath quickly went to look at the Pyramid. "Young Rapses is in Golden Gate Park," he informed the others.

"Then let's get moving!" Nefer-Tina added. "Get into the Hot-Ra, boys!" She ran towards the garage with the three others close behind. 

Nefer-Tina jumped into the driver's seat while Rath sat next to her and Armon took his place in the rear. Ja-Kal called his wings and flew off ahead. Nefer-Tina hit the ignition and slammed her foot on the accelerator. The Hot-Ra tore down the launching ramp.

*** 

Miranda, Kait, and Matt were headed for the Sphinx when they saw something that shocked them. The mouth of the stone building suddenly dropped open and a ramp extended down to the ground. If that weren't strange enough, they then saw an armored figure _fly_ out of the mouth and an unusual looking car race down the ramp and onto the street at full speed.

"Holy Shit! What the fuck was that!" Kait exclaimed. 

"How the hell should I know?" Matt replied.

Miranda was too stunned to say anything. She just stared after the car barreling down the road.

Kait was the first to recover. Her sense of adventure kicked in full-swing. "Let's follow them! Come one! I think they're headed for the park!" She ran off after the weird car.

Matt and Miranda looked first after Kait, then at each other. 

"She's completely crazy, isn't she?"

"I keep trying to tell her that, but she never listens to me," Matt said. "So, do we follow her?"

"Although it's against my better judgment, we have no choice. Kait probably will need our help," Miranda told him.

"I'm going to regret this, but you're right. Let's go."

They proceeded to go after Kait. 

*** 

Presley leaned heavily against a tree, desperate to catch his breath. He closed his eyes for a moment. He had never felt so exhausted in his entire life. He had lost his board a while ago when the mob of fleeing people had bumped into him, separating him from Walter. He did not know how long he had been running. He was hurt from being knocked down several times and could feel the blood running from several cuts and gashes. 

He did not know where he was exactly. After losing his board and Walter, he had run in any direction he could in an attempt to escape the flood of terrified people, not really paying attention of where he was going. He hoped the mummies could find him.

Who was that woman? _What_ was she? Why was she here? She did not look Egyptian, so he did not know if she had been sent by Scarab to capture him or not. But, he could not risk getting caught in any case. After seeing what she had done to all those innocent people...

Suddenly, a hand painfully gripped his shoulder. "So, you're the little brat the old man wants so badly," a female voice cheerfully spoke. "Not too good at hiding, are you dear?"

Presley opened his eyes to see the woman who had been massacring the park goers. He felt his terror instantly renewed and strengthened. He struggled against her hold on him. "Let me go!" 

"Oh, no! Not before I have a little fun with you," she grinned. "The old man only said you needed to be alive. He never specified what condition you had to be in."

Presley struggled even harder, growing more terrified by her words. "HELP!!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. He didn't care who saved him at this point, just as long as he was saved.

"Let the boy go," an authoritative male voice broke in.

"Ja-Kal!" Presley shouted, feeling relieved. He turned to the woman. "Now you're in real trouble."

"You must be one of the annoying guardians Scarab spoke so highly of. Well, I'm afraid the boy stays with me. He's my ticket to finally getting what I want," she told him.

Ja-Kal nocked an arrow, which burst into flame as he aimed his bow at the blonde. "I will not ask you again. Release the boy now."

Out of nowhere, a blast of electricity hit Ja-Kal directly in the back. He fell to his knees with a cry of pain, dropping his bow.

Presley gasped as his head guardian went down. "Ja-Kal!" He looked up to see another woman enter the clearing, this one with dark hair.

"The boy is no longer your concern," she coldly told the fallen form on the ground. "Callisto, take the boy and return to Scarab. I'll take care of this one and his companions when they arrive."

"And let you have all the fun? I don't think so," Callisto stated,

The second woman grew angry. "This is not one your silly games! I order you to leave!" she commanded.

"You're ordering me? No one orders me to do anything! I stay where I want to stay and I want to stay here," Callisto retorted stubbornly. She threw Presley roughly to the ground. "Don't even think of going anywhere, my precious," she told him.

While the two insane women continued arguing, Presley crawled towards where Ja-Kal was weakly trying to get up.

*** 

"There it goes!" Kait shouted as she chased after the golden car. The car suddenly turned off the road and tore into the wooded area of Golden Gate Park.

Matt and Miranda followed their overeager companion. The three of them stood at the place where the car had disappeared. On the ground, they could easily make out the fresh tire tracks. 

The threesome ran down the path left by the speeding car.

*** 

In front of her, Nefer-Tina could see the clearing where Rath said the prince was located. She hit the brakes and brought the Hot-Ra to a stop. She retracted the glass dome and she, Rath, and Armon jumped out to face this latest threat to their charge.

Nefer-Tina scanned the scene to access the situation. However, the first thing she saw was Ja-Kal. Presley was trying to help him stand up. She rushed over to help, leaving Rath and Armon to take care of the enemy. She didn't even bother to see what it was.

"What happened? Are you two all right?" she asked, noting Presley's condition.

"Those crazy ladies happened!" Presley told her. He pointed to where Rath and Armon were. They were fighting two women. "Scarab sent 'em to get me!"

"Who are they?"

"The fair-haired one is named Callisto," Ja-Kal said, pain in his voice. "The other has yet to reveal her identity."

"Velasca." The three of them turned to see the dark haired woman standing behind them. "My name is Velasca, the God of Chaos. Hand over the boy and no one else will be harmed."

*** 

"I think I hear something coming from up ahead of us," Miranda said. "It sounds like..." she trailed off.

"Like what?" Kait wanted to know.

"A battle," Miranda finished.

Matt looked uneasy. "Maybe we should, you know, turn back now."

"No," Kait shook her head. "We've come too far. We have to see this through."

They continued running, coming to a stop when they reached the end of the tracks. They gasped at the scene spread out before them.

At one end of the clearing, a man wearing strange armor and a blonde woman wearing leather clashed swords. Near them, another armored figure, this one rather obese, laid on the ground not moving. Across the battlefield, another armored warrior, this one most definitely a woman, faced off with yet another scantily clad woman, this one a brunette. Standing behind them, the same man who they had seen fly out of the sphinx protectively shielded a young boy.

"Ja-Kal," the woman in armor told the man behind her, "get Rapses to safety." She cracked a lethal looking whip to ward off her opponent, who easily dodged it.

"But, Nefer-Tina, we can't leave you guys behind!" the boy cried out.

"Nefer-Tina's right," the one named Ja-Kal told the boy. "Your safety is all that matters."

Suddenly, the blonde shrieked and knocked the sword out of the hand of her opponent. She jumped into the air, flipped, and drove a hard kick to his midsection. The man doubled over, clutching his stomach and dropped to the ground. The woman then leaped and flipped again, covering a seeming impossible distance, only to land in front of Ja-Kal as he was about to run off with the boy.

"Leaving so soon?" she giggled madly.

"Wait a minute!" Miranda said. "I know that boy! He's Amanda Carnovan's son. Presley. I think his name is Presley."

"Amanda's the museum lady, right? We gotta save him!" Kait exclaimed.

"But, what can we do? We don't even know which ones are the bad guys!" Matt put in.

"I have a pretty good idea," Kait told him. "The weird armored ones are trying to protect him. They said so themselves and Presley seems pretty attached to them."

Miranda thought for a moment. "I have an idea. Follow my lead." She burst out into the open, leaving two very stunned young adults in her wake. She approached the blonde from behind, who was too busy verbally tormenting her victims to notice her. "Hey you! Pick on someone your own size!" she shouted.

The woman spun around angrily. Miranda gasped in surprise as soon as she saw the woman's face.

She was completely identical to Miranda.

Chapter Fourteen:

Miranda stared in shock at the evil woman in front of her. How was this possible? Who was she?

"My, my, what a lovely surprise!" the woman exclaimed in a cheery voice. "We seem to have a few things in common!"

Miranda staggered backwards, unable to find her voice. Her mind was reeling at this strange turn of events.

"We simply must have a little chat!" her mirror-image continued. She smiled and moved closer to Miranda, sheathing her sword.

*** 

Kait and Matt stood where Miranda had left them, feeling completely helpless as they watched.

"We've gotta save her!" Kait declared.

"No, we can't risk it," Matt told her reasonably, although his heart agreed with Kait. "Better we help Presley while the two monster chicks are distracted. He seems to be the one in the most danger."

*** 

Nefer-Tina thrashed her whip at Velasca once again, only to have the mad goddess avoid it as easily as before. This futile dance had been going on for gods-knew-how-long with no progress on either woman's part. She felt her arm beginning to weaken from fatigue. She hoped Ja-Kal had taken Presley to safety by now.

"Give up. You won't be able to keep this up for much longer anyway," Velasca remarked casually. "I sense your strength waning."

"Never," Nefer-Tina declared. "My life is unimportant. The prince's safety is all that matters."

"You remind me a lot of Xena," Velasca told her. "She was as stubborn and noble as you are. And, just as annoying."

"I'm honored to be compared to such a great warrior," Nefer-Tina replied. _Even if I'm not worthy of it_, she thought to herself.

"Don't be. She was misguided and weak. She had the potential to be the most powerful warlord in the world but threw it all away to help the pathetic scum that populate the world," Velasca told her. "I grow tired of this. It's time to end our little game..."

*** 

"Run, my prince!" Ja-Kal ordered Presley. A woman had just come out of nowhere and her distraction of Callisto had bought them both some time. As soon as his charge was safe, he could go back and help the others. Especially Nefer-Tina...

"Presley! Over here!" shouted a new voice. Both looked to see two people running towards them.

Ja-Kal immediately recognized them as Nefer-Tina's friends Matt and Kait. What were they doing here?

"Don't worry," Kait said. "We're friends."

Presley looked at Ja-Kal, who nodded at him. "Go on," he urged. "I believe we can trust them."

"We're friends of Dr. Larson," Matt explained, pointing to the woman with Callisto. "Your mom worked with her on the Xena Scroll exhibit."

"We met briefly at the opening," Kait added, grabbing the boy's hand. She looked at Ja-Kal. "Will you be all right?"

He glanced over his shoulder to where Nefer-Tina was barely holding off Velasca. "Yes. I have to help the rest of my team. Now go!"

"But, Ja-Kal!" Presley protested as Kait began to pull him away.

"Come on, Pres," Kait softly said, squeezing his hand. "Matt, let's go!"

Matt was staring as if transfixed by the fight between Nefer-Tina and Velasca. He shook his head. "No, I'm gonna stay and help." Before anyone could stop him, he rushed off to help Nefer-Tina.

"No, Matt!" Kait shouted from the edge of the woods. Presley was already out of sight.

Rath and Armon, who had finally recovered enough to rejoin the battle, hurried over.

"What in the name of Ra is going on here?" Rath demanded to know. 

"A fight," Armon supplied helpfully.

"They're friends," Ja-Kal informed them. "Rapses will be safe with the girl. Come, we must help Nefer-Tina and Dr. Larson."

*** 

Matt ran over to where the armored woman was fighting. He did not know what he could possibly do to help, but he was determined to try. 

Just then, the bad chick went on the offensive and knocked down the other one. Gathering up his courage, Matt stepped up behind her.

"Is this a private party or may anyone join in?"

The armored woman on the ground looked up at him and her mouth dropped open. "Matt?" she asked in a very familiar voice.

The evil one turned to face him. "This is none of your business, boy. Go away." With that, she blasted Matt directly in the chest. His body went flying several feet backward before hitting a tree.

As he fell to the ground, Matt could faintly hear Kait scream his name. Then, everything went black.

*** 

Miranda heard Kait's cry and looked to see what had happened. To her horror, she saw Matt lying flat on the ground, smoke rising from his motionless body. "Oh, no! Matt," she whispered to herself.

"Was he a friend of yours?" came the irritating voice of Callisto. "My condolences. Oh, well, back to business."

Miranda was appalled by Callisto's sudden heartlessness. Up until now, she had only ranted and raved about how Xena had wiped out her entire family and village and how she missed them so much. As impossible as it seemed, this woman appeared to be the very same Callisto she had studied in the Scrolls. Her mercurial nature fit the description perfectly. 

Apparently, thanks to Miranda, she was now convinced someone had survived the destruction of Cirra. Unfortunately, it was true: Miranda was the direct descendant of Callisto's younger sister. This goddess, who was supposed to be dead, was her ancestor.

"As I was saying, before we were so _rudely_ interrupted, you're my family now. We have to stick together, you and I."

"I may be a member of your bloodline, but I am _not_ a member of your family," Miranda told her. She would have to be very careful to not get Callisto too angry at her. The stories of her exploits in the Scrolls were enough to give anyone nightmares. 

Callisto shook her head and made a clucking sound. "I'm disappointed in you, Miranda." She smiled. "Join me. We can make Xena's family pay for what she did to us both."

*** 

Kait felt the world go into slow-motion as Matt was shot down by Velasca. _No!_ she mentally screamed. _Please don't let him be dead! Not before I tell him how I feel_, she prayed desperately. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

She looked at the goddess who had harmed her best friend. Velasca was smiling, admiring her handiwork. Kait could tell she had enjoyed it.

Finally, something snapped inside of her. She became determined to make Velasca pay for what she had done to Matt. Her eyes became filled hatred towards the God of Chaos.

"Monster!!!" she screamed. Driven by a tearful rage, she charged towards the goddess. 

*** 

Velasca turned towards the direction where someone had shouted her name. To her surprise, someone was barreling towards her. Good, someone else wanted to take her on. This would be fun.

However, there was something familiar-looking about the girl coming at her. But, it couldn't be who she thought. It was impossible.

"Xena?"

*** 

Nefer-Tina watched her friends being taken down one by one, her heart caught in her throat. She hardly felt someone grab her from behind and lift her to her feet. She leaned heavily against the body supporting her.

"Are you all right?" was asked of her.

The question startled her. She turned her head to see Ja-Kal, who was the one holding her up. She felt herself flush at being so close to him again, but this was not the time or place for her romantic feelings for him. "The prince?" she asked him tiredly.

"Safe," he assured her. "Your friend Kait took him out of here before coming back." 

"Good," she said, standing up straight. She pushed her fatigue aside. "We have to see if Matt is, you know..." she began, unable to finish.

"I know," he told her. "I know. But, now Dr. Larson and Kait are the ones in the most need of our help."

*** 

Velasca held her ground as "Xena" rushed towards her. She was puzzled, however, by the lack of her distinctive war-cry or any fancy acrobatics that were Xena's trademark in battle. It was very odd.

Velasca erected a force field extending several feet in front of her. As the oncoming attacker reached the field, she was propelled backwards. She tumbled to the ground and curled up into a ball.

The goddess approached the injured girl and took a good look at her. She was wearing modern clothing. She also looked much younger than she remembered.

This was _not _Xena at all. It was one of her descendants.

"Foolish girl," Velasca taunted her. "You may look like Xena, but you are nothing like her." She kicked her hard in the small of the back.

The girl screamed and rolled to her hands and knees. She raised her face to Velasca. "Xena was my ancestor," she told her defiantly.

"Then you'll be joining her shortly. You're not as good as the real thing, but killing you will be almost as satisfying," Velasca said. "Goodbye."

*** 

Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light filled the clearing. "That's enough!" boomed an authoritative female voice. The source of the voice began to materialize.

*** 

Nefer-Tina gasped and began to back away, her body shaking in long-remembered fear as she saw the identity of the new arrival.

It was Tia.

  
  



	7. Chapter 15 to Chapter 17

Chapter Fifteen:

"Velasca, the God of Chaos! Callisto! By order of the mighty Zeus, King of the Gods, and Artemis, the Great Huntress, you are to come back with me to Mount Olympus for trial. You are both guilty of crimes against the Pantheon," Tia, the Tracker for the Gods, announced. 

"I remember you," Velasca said, stepping away from the girl lying at her feet. "You're the one who imprisoned me! For that, you shall pay dearly."

"I'd like to see you try," Tia spat, ignoring the warning Artemis had given her. "You are a disgrace to our Nation and I'm here to put you back where you belong."

"_Our_ Nation? How dare you refer to yourself as one of us! You were not born of my people! You are just some foreigner my ignorant ancestors named queen!" Velasca shot back. "If anyone is a disgrace, it is you. Artemis was a fool to grant _you_ godhood."

"I have waited a long time for this moment," Tia said, drawing her sword. 

"So have I," Velasca agreed, readying her own weapon. "Except this time, you don't have Xena to help you."

"Help me?" Tia laughed harshly. "If it weren't for Xena, I would have killed you. Be grateful she was there all those centuries ago."

The two former Amazons began circling each other, prepared to strike at any moment.

*** 

Nefer-Tina tore her eyes away from the woman who had dominated her nightmares and pushed aside all emotions stirred up by her unexpected appearance. She had a duty to perform. She ran over to where Kait was struggling to get up. "Here, give me your hand."

Kait gratefully accepted. "Thanks." She tried to appear as nonchalant as possible, as if to hide her grief over Matt. "I guess that was pretty stupid of me, huh?"

"Very," Nefer-Tina agreed. "You were almost killed! Then how would you ever tell Matt that you love him?"

Kait looked at the armored woman in shock. "What did you say? How did you-?"

Nefer-Tina lifted the faceplate of her helmet.

"Tina?" Kait breathed. "But...why...how...?"

"I'll explain everything later," she promised. "My real name is Nefer-Tina. All I ask is that you trust me."

*** 

"He's still alive," Rath determined after examining Matt, "but barely. We need to get him back to the Sphinx as soon as possible."

"Agreed," Ja-Kal nodded. "You and Armon take him and the young prince in the Hot-Ra."

"Take Kait with you," Nefer-Tina added as she arrived with her friend. 

"But," Kait started to protest.

"Go with them. Stay with Matt," Nefer-Tina told her gently yet sternly. "He'll need you when he wakes up."

Kait's face lit up. "You mean-?"

"He is going to be fine," Ja-Kal said. "Nefer-Tina is right. You need to get to safety."

"We'll bring Aunt Miranda back with us. I promise," Nefer-Tina said.

Kait nodded and smiled weakly at Nefer-Tina. "I know. I do trust you...Nefer-Tina." She followed after the others. 

*** 

"Well, it seems that Velasca's new friend wants to play with me too," Callisto told Miranda. "I very well can't go and disappoint her, now can I? That would be rude!"

She flashed another brilliant smile at her captive audience. "We shall continue our little talk later. I'm so enjoying this family reunion! Until later, my sweet!" She blew her a kiss and ran off giggling.

For a moment, Miranda stood there, not exactly sure what had just happened. It was all too much to take in at one time. She finally pulled herself together and ran for the woods. Two of the armored warriors, one of them a woman, were waiting for her.

"Dr. Larson, you must come with us," the male one said. "Your two friends are safe."

"Who are you? And why are those two goddesses after Presley?" Miranda wanted to know.

"We'll explain everything once we get you to safety," the woman told her. 

Miranda looked at the woman's exposed face for a moment. "Do I know you? You look familiar."

"We met at the museum the other night," she verified. "I was with Kait and Matt." She turned to her companion. "Now let's move our tuts and get out of here before anyone notices." 

*** 

Tia watched them leave out of the corner of her eye. Neither Velasca or Callisto had noticed their prey getting away. She had not had time to take a look at any of them, but there had been something _familiar_ about all of them, especially the armored ones.

She turned her attention back to her quarry. Her personal battle with Velasca had been cut short by the untimely interruption of Callisto, possibly the most irritating woman she had ever met. "Why are you here? Who helped you escape?" she demanded to know.

Callisto giggled, "Now, now, if we tell you, you'll just spoil all our fun!"

Velasca smiled evilly. "Let's not be rude to our guest, Callisto. After all, there's nothing she can do to stop us."

"I already have," Tia smirked. "They've all left. It's just the three of us now."

"What?!" Callisto shrieked. She looked around wildly, not finding anyone. She screamed in frustration. Miranda was gone as well.

Velasca's smile didn't waver. "Then, there's no need for us to stay any longer. Callisto! It's time for us to go!"

"So soon?" Callisto pouted unhappily. "And we were just starting to get acquainted too!"

"Callisto! Now!" Velasca ordered, not caring that Callisto had earlier claimed that no one was allowed to order her around. She turned to Tia. "Until next time, Tracker."

"I'll be waiting," Tia promised.

The two evil goddess teleported away, leaving Tia alone in the clearing.

*** 

Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina, both unarmored, led Miranda into the Sphinx. Miranda was amazed by everything she saw.

"This is unbelievable," she was saying. "I was told this building was the remains of a failed exhibit."

"It is, sort of," Presley confirmed as he came to greet them. "This bad guy named Scarab set it up as a trap to get me."

"Trap? Why?" Miranda asked him.

"It is a long story," Ja-Kal told her. "I suggest you sit down before you hear it."

"I didn't believe it when I first heard it," Presley added, "and it's about me!"

"Look, after everything that already happened today, I don't think there's anything else you can tell me that would surprise me," Miranda said. "But, sitting down doesn't sound too bad right now. I'm exhausted."

"Follow us," Nefer-Tina said and gestured with her hand.

They led her into a large living area, complete with a kitchen and a television set. Along one wall were four sarcophagi, each bearing a design that matched the armor of its occupant. Sitting on the large stone couch in front of the tv, with a black bandaged cat in her lap, was Kait. She was crying.

"Oh, Kait sweetie!" Miranda exclaimed, rushing to her "niece's" side. She pulled the girl into her arms and began to gently rock her. "What's the matter?"

"It's all my fault!" she sobbed uncontrollably. "Matt almost died because of me!"

"Wherever did you get such an idea?" Miranda wanted to know. She continued rocking her and began to smooth out her hair. "How is it your fault?"

"If I hadn't gone running off, he wouldn't have followed me! He would never have even been there!" she burst out. She cried even harder. 

Miranda began making soft calming noises as she kept rocking her. Kahti was purring loudly as her own offering of comfort. Nefer-Tina came over and sat on the other side of Kait. She gently laid her hand on Kait's leg. She exchanged a concerned look with Ja-Kal.

Presley uncomfortably scuffed his feet. "She's been like this ever since we got here. I'm sorry I didn't say anything before."

"It's all right, Presley," Miranda gently told him. "You didn't want to upset me."

Presley went over to stand in front of Kait and Miranda. "If it makes you feel any better, it's my fault more than anybody's. Those crazy ladies would never have been after me if Scarab hadn't sent 'em." He turned to look at Ja-Kal. "I guess he finally found his way back after all." 

"We always knew it was only a matter of time before he did," Ja-Kal agreed. 

"I think it's time you told us everything," Miranda said.

Ja-Kal nodded and began to explain their history to her...

*** 

"So, you haven't seen or heard from him in six months?" Miranda asked.

"No, not until now," Ja-Kal told her. "However, we first suspected his return when the Xena Scrolls were stolen from the museum."

"Which would explain the presence of Velasca and Callisto," Kait quietly concluded. She had stopped crying while listening to the story and was stroking Kahti. 

"Scarab must have read about them and decided to summon them as part of his latest scheme," Miranda added.

"I don't get it," Presley said. "Why would Scarab use Greek gods instead of Egyptian ones?"

"And why those two? From what I've read and now experienced for myself, they are both extremely uncontrollable and violent. Although I've never met this Scarab, I would assume he, like most power-hungry individuals, would want servants who are completely loyal and unambitious," Miranda put in. 

"Perhaps his time away has changed him," Ja-Kal suggested.

"You mean made him even crazier?" Presley asked. "I didn't think that was even possible!" 

"Well, Callisto is definitely the most volatile of the two," Miranda continued, "but 

Velasca is the one to watch out for. She is the deadlier of the pair."

"I agree," answered a new voice. The group all turned to see Tia materialize in the room. "Velasca and I have met before and if it were not for Xena's assistance, I would have lost."

"Who are you?" Miranda asked.

"I am Tia, the Tracker for the Gods of Olympus. I was sent by Zeus and Artemis to capture the renegades and bring them back for punishment," Tia introduced herself. "Both are very dangerous criminals. Velasca was freed from her eternal prison on Mount Olympus while Callisto is displaced in time. It's my job to see that they are put back where they belong."

"As I said before, Velasca and I have already fought," she continued. "I'm the one who put her in her prison centuries ago."

"Just like the Xena Scrolls said," Kait murmured in wonder. "What about Callisto?" she asked in her normal voice.

"No, we have never met before today." Tia looked around the room. "Hello, Ja-Kal," she coolly greeted her former husband. Her gaze then found Nefer-Tina. "Greetings to you as well, little whore. It's been a long time." Nefer-Tina said nothing, her body stiff. Tia smiled in satisfaction.

Ja-Kal stared at Tia in disbelief. He could not believe what he had just heard her say. In all the years he had known her, Tia had never spoken to anyone in such a manner. She had always been kind and gentle. What had happened to the woman he had fallen in love with and married? 

And, why Nefer-Tina? He looked at his second-in-command. Her expression was neutral, but he could tell she was upset. Because of what Tia had said or what had happened to her friends, he could not tell. When had Tia met Nefer-Tina? And, even if they had met, wouldn't it have been when she was disguised as Nefer?

Before he could say anything, Rath, Armon, and a very disoriented Matt entered the room.

"Matt!" Kait happily cried, jumping up from her seat. She ran over and embraced her best friend.

"Ow! Go easy with the vise-grip," Matt complained teasingly. "I don't know what exactly happened, but I feel like shit."

"You almost died, you jerk!" Kait retorted. "Don't ever do it again!"

"Man, I hope I won't! But hanging out with you all these years is starting to rub off on me. I may get to be as bad as you someday!" he cheerfully told her.

Kait rolled her eyes, hugged him again, and led him to the couch.

Miranda stood up and hugged him as well. "Thank God you're all right! You had us worried for a while."

"While this is all very touching," Tia interrupted, "we need to get down to business."

"Hey, that's not very nice," Armon told her. When she turned around to look at him, he gasped in surprise. "Tia! You're alive!" He started to go to hug her, but the look she gave him made him back away. He had always been fond of Ja-Kal's wife since she had been sweet to him every time they met. He was confused by her behavior.

Kait spoke up, "It may just be me, but I'm starting to get really confused here. You guys know each other?"

"We are contemporaries," Tia said. "Let us leave it at that." She looked at Kait closely. "Your resemblance to Xena is uncanny," she noted, changing the subject.

"That's what Velasca said. She even thought I was Xena for a minute," Kait told her. "Xena was my ancestor. It's the same with my grandmother. I'm identical to her."

"Hmm, did Callisto see you?" Tia wanted to know.

"No, I don't think so. She was too busy trying to convince me to join with her," Miranda answered.

"Good, we may be able to use that to our advantage," Tia said thoughtfully.

"What about me?" Matt wanted to know. "Gabrielle's my ancestor. Do I look anything like her?"

"I would hope not!" Kait grinned, eliciting a look from Matt. Tia glared at her in annoyance. Her smile faded.

"There is a strong resemblance. Maybe we can use it as well. Velasca was quite interested in Gabrielle for a while," Tia said. 

"We can't risk the lives of innocent people," Ja-Kal finally spoke up. He and Tia stared at each other for a moment. He needed to speak with her in private.

"Ja-Kal is right," Rath agreed. "Resemblance or not, we cannot allow any harm to come to these people."

"No, we want to help," Miranda defended herself. "We're too involved now to stay away. Besides, their fight is more with our families than anything else."

"Yeah, we want to help kick their asses," Kait said in support. "Right, Matt?" Matt nodded his agreement.

"Too bad Xena and Gabrielle aren't here," Presley said. "They would know exactly how to stop these whacked-out goddesses."

"The boy has a point," Tia suddenly said. She smiled strangely to herself. "I will return shortly." She teleported herself away in a flash of light, leaving a room of very confused people in her wake. 

Chapter Sixteen:

Gabrielle stood completely still, her sais held at the ready. Her breathing was slow and steady. She was deep in concentration. Suddenly, without warning, she attacked.

The practice target fell over. She smiled in satisfaction.

"You're getting better," Xena told her best friend as she entered the campsite. Joxer was trailing after her.

"Thanks," Gabrielle said. She looked at both Xena and Joxer. Joxer was dripping wet and Xena was empty-handed. "Hey, what happened? Where's lunch?"

"You've got Joxer here to thank," Xena explained. "He tripped and fell into the creek. He single-handedly scared all the fish away."

"I said I was sorry!" Joxer put it. "It's not like I did it on purpose!"

"Joxer, you _never_ do anything on purpose," Gabrielle told him. "I guess it's bread and cheese again."

"I could make some radish stew," Joxer offered helpfully.

"No!!!"

Joxer put up his hands defensively. "Okay, okay, I think I got the hint. No stew. Jeez!"

"I suggest you save it for your enemies," Xena grinned wickedly.

"Hey, I heard that!" Joxer said indignantly.

"You were supposed to," Gabrielle dryly told him.

Behind them, Argo and Gabrielle's unnamed stallion began to whinny and prance nervously.

Xena walked over to her mare. "Whoa, Argo! Easy, girl. What's the matter?" She grabbed her bridle and stroked her neck gently.

Gabrielle came over to comfort her own horse. "What's bothering them?"

"I don't know," Xena murmured, "but I have a feeling that we're about to find out."

In a flash of light, Tia appeared before them. "You seem to be losing your touch. Last time we met I could never sneak up on you like that." She indicated Xena's protruding belly. "Motherhood appears to be working wonders for you." 

Xena folded her arms. "Or, I just don't consider you important enough anymore to recognize you when you drop by."

Tia gave a small laugh. "It looks like I might have misjudged you."

"It happens," Xena agreed. "What do you want?" 

"I'm here to collect my debt from you," she told her. Tia motioned to Gabrielle. "If you remember, I saved her life." She gave the warrior-bard the once-over. "New look, I see. Very Amazon-like. Gave up the pathetic 'Way of Peace' already?" 

"Things happened," Gabrielle told her cautiously. 

"You never did trust me very much, did you?" Tia smiled tightly.

"No," Gabrielle agreed.

"Neither did I," Xena broke in. "I suggest you get to the point."

Joxer looked at the three women in confusion. "Huh? When did this happen? Who are you?"

Xena went over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Joxer, meet Tia, the Tracker for the Gods." Tia inclined her head slightly. "We met shortly before our little 'adventure' in Rome."

"Soo, you guys are...friends?" he asked cautiously.

"No, I wouldn't say that," Xena answered.

Tia smiled. "Xena and I never saw completely eye-to-eye. Did we?"

"No, we didn't," Xena said flatly.

"You said you're here to collect a debt," Gabrielle interjected. "What do you want us to do?"

Tia turned to Gabrielle again. "I'd forgotten how forward you can be."

"It gets things done," Gabrielle responded.

"Very well," Tia conceded. "Your old friends Callisto and Velasca are free."

"Callisto?! That's impossible," Xena told her. "She's in Paradise with her family. She has no memory of her past."

"Velasca?!" Gabrielle asked, remembering exactly why they owed Tia a debt. "I thought she was imprisoned on Olympus."

"To answer both your questions, Velasca was freed many centuries in the future by a man whose capacity for evil surpasses her own. Velasca then took Callisto from the past before you met up with her in Rome," Tia explained. "The Callisto of your time is still where she belongs, but she may not remain there. Her absence in the past may have serious consequences on the future."

"So, you want us to help you?" Xena asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes," Tia said. "As hard as I find it to admit, I cannot defeat them alone. Besides, you owe me."

"Yeah, I _do_. But, we both know there was no way I'd turn this down," Xena replied.

"I was counting on it," Tia told her. 

"We have to go to the future?" Gabrielle wanted to know. "Just the three of us against them?"

"No, we have allies in the future," Tia informed her. She paused. "Including your descendants."

"Our...descendants?" Gabrielle asked incredulously.

"When do we leave?" Joxer asked.

"You're staying here," Xena told him firmly.

"But-" he started to protest.

"_You_ have to take our place while we're gone," Xena instructed him. "The innocent are counting on you to protect them."

"Joxer the Mighty at your service!" he readily agreed. "No bad deeds will go unpunished, uh, or something like that!"

"He is such an idiot," Tia muttered under her breath. 

Gabrielle heard her. "You're telling me?" Then, a little louder so Joxer could hear her, added, "And, don't forget to take care of our horses."

"You betcha," Joxer told her.

Xena turned to Tia. "All right, we're ready. Let's go."

Tia nodded and the three of them vanished instantaneously.

"Good luck," Joxer wished to the empty space they had just occupied.

*** 

Callisto and Velasca materialized back in the Pyramid. Callisto happily skipped around, singing wildly to herself. Velasca looked at her disgustedly. She was furious at what had just happened in the park.

"I almost had her!" Velasca raged. "I almost defeated that pathetic fake once and for all! Then, you just had to join in, didn't you?"

Callisto stopped her mad antics and whirled to face her. "So, it's all my fault, is it? Well, if that's what you believe..."

"If you had just left when I told you!" Velasca interrupted.

"And, missed all the fun? What would have been the point?" Callisto answered back. She smiled even wider. "Besides, I would have never met dear, sweet Miranda."

"Who cares about her?! What does she have to do with anything?!" Velasca demanded to know. "The only reason you're here is to help distract the guardians while I get the boy. We don't have time for you to go off and chase after someone who might be your descendant."

"She's my family!" Callisto yelled. "I know it and she knows it. That's all that matters to me now. I could care less about you and your little plan to take over the world. All I want is to have a family again. That, and making Xena's family pay."

"Oh, yes, Xena. Everything with you has to be about Xena," Velasca said. "What happened, happened. Get over it."

"Why should I? What about your little hang-up on the irritating blonde, hmm? That was all that you cared about when we first met," Callisto shot back.

"Gabrielle no longer concerns me. She showed me that our tribe was not worthy of bearing the name 'Amazon' any longer. I am the only true Amazon left," Velasca informed her. 

"That's nice," Callisto grinned. "But, as I was saying, Xena made me who I am today. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't be having this conversation, now would we? I wouldn't be here and Tia would have, well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty. You should _thank_ Xena for creating me."

"You think I needed you back there?" Velasca laughed. "Don't be stupid. I was doing just fine without you." For a moment, she toyed with the idea of mentioning Xena's annoying descendant, but thought better of it. She could tell Callisto was incensed enough as it was. 

"Really? Why don't you show me how 'fine' you were?" Callisto goaded her, drawing her sword. "Demonstrate what you were going to do to her."

"It'll be my pleasure," Velasca responded as she brandished her own weapon.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this," Callisto giggled. Then, she attacked.

Velasca easily deflected Callisto's initial assault. She went on the offensive, eager to wipe the smile off of her face. They continued to fight, giving free reign to their mutual hatred of each other. Their violent skirmish attracted Scarab's attention.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Scarab hollered angrily.

The two goddesses stopped what they were doing immediately.

Velasca sheathed her sword and walked over to him. "Nothing to concern yourself with. Callisto and I were just having a little disagreement." Her anger seemed to be gone, her voice oozing charm as she glanced over her shoulder at Callisto.

Callisto hissed at her, but otherwise remained silent. She did not put her sword away.

"What of the boy? Did you find him?" Scarab demanded of Velasca.

"Oh, we found him, all right. I almost had him, but an old enemy of mine interfered," Velasca told him. 

"Uh, aren't you leaving out a few important details?" Callisto broke in. "Like the one where _I_ had the boy?"

Velasca crossed her arms but did not turn to face her. "Yes, but then I'd have to tell him how _you_ let him out of your sight and then became distracted with your relative."

"What about you? You couldn't even take one mummy," Callisto pointed out. 

Velasca sighed exasperatedly. "I'm really growing tired of this. I happened to be taking my time and enjoying the fight. But, that's something you could never understand. If you had been paying any attention at all, I was about to destroy her when those two blasted mortals began meddling with things. Then, the Olympian bitch showed up."

"Quiet, both of you!" Scarab finally broke them up. He turned back to Velasca. "Let me get this straight. You had the boy and the guardians showed up. Not only did you let them escape, but a few puny humans _and_ another goddess stopped you as well?" His voice remained steady, but both goddesses could tell he was ready to explode.

Callisto smirked to herself. "Ooh, it looks like someone has some explaining to do." She giggled madly.

Velasca ignored her and proceeded to wrap her arms around Scarab's waist in an attempt to calm him. She smiled seductively at him. "I will tell you everything, but first you need to relax. Once you hear the entire story, you'll understand why I had to come back empty-handed for now."

"All right," he agreed, the anger draining out of him. It was replaced with something decidedly more carnal. "We'll do it your way."

"I knew you would," she purred, her voice laced with the promise of more than conversation.

"Oh, please!" Callisto groaned. "You two lovebirds make me sick. I'm going someplace where there's peace and quiet." She vanished in a burst of flame.

Velasca and Scarab shared an amused evil laugh and then they kissed.

*** 

Heka watched them from a corner in the back of the room. She had followed Scarab when he angrily went to find out what all that racket had been about. She had hoped to see him take out his rage on someone else for once. No such luck.

She had known Velasca was bad news ever since she had read about her in the Scrolls. Now, it was even worse than she feared. Scarab had been reduced to little more than a sex slave! Every time Velasca approached him, he stopped thinking with his head. Well, the one sitting on his neck, that is.

Heka had tried to tell him what was happening, but the sorcerer brushed her off. He claimed he knew exactly what he was doing and was aware of any double-crossing on Velasca's part. Heka, of course, had replied with a smart-alec remark that had earned her a very painful tail. Although there was nothing unusual about that scenario, she knew otherwise. Velasca was just using him.

Callisto, on the other hand, was very entertaining. Being a witness to such insanity had its rewards!

Back to the Velasca issue, the God of Chaos was way too dangerous in Heka's opinion. She had to go!

Chapter Seventeen:

For a moment, Ja-Kal could do nothing more than stare at the space Tia had just occupied. As quickly as she had arrived in the Sphinx, she had vanished with no explanation. After being absent for over 3500 years, his wife had returned. He knew he should have been happy to see her. Yet, he wasn't.

The Tia he remembered had been sweet and loving, never uttering a cruel word to anyone. This woman, no, _goddess_, was a stranger to him. When she had spoken to Nefer-Tina so viciously, his first instinct had been to protect Nefer-Tina. No one ever had the right to say such things. But, as much as he didn't want to believe it, it _was _Tia, the woman he thought he still loved.

When had she changed into the person he had met today? Granted, she had spent the last 3500 years living as a goddess while he "slept" in death. Or, had she always been this way, hiding her true nature from him?

Ja-Kal and Tia had been born and raised in the same hunting village. Both were from prominent families and had practically grown up together. They had not become romantically involved until their later teen years. In fact, he and his brother Arakh had been rivals for Tia's affections, as they were in everything. However, Arakh had strangely backed off a few days before she finally told Ja-Kal she loved him.

His thoughts drifted back to Nefer-Tina. As much as he loved Tia, he could not deny his feelings for her. "Whore" was what Tia had called her. He remembered how happy Tia had been at Nefer-Tina's banishment from Memphis. Although he had not been aware of the disgraced musician's identity until a few nights ago, could Tia have known who "Nefer" was all along? And, if she did, why had she never revealed it to him?

He looked over to where Nefer-Tina remained sitting on the couch. She had not moved since Tia's arrival. It was obvious that she was still upset. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her even as he told himself he could not. He decided to go talk to her anyway.

He made his way over to the couch and stood in front of her. "Nefer-Tina," he began. She looked up at him. But before he could say another word, Tia reappeared.

She was not alone.

*** 

Xena found herself and Gabrielle brought to a place she had not seen before. 

Tia stood in front of them, a satisfied smirk on her lips. "Welcome to the future," she told them.

"Xena?" Gabrielle questioned.

Xena held out an arm to keep Gabrielle still. She didn't trust Tia completely and she kept her guard up. Her eyes swept her new environment. The first person she noticed was a girl who could have been her twin. Next to her was a boy whose features reminded her of Gabrielle. _ The descendants Tia mentioned_, she mentally noted. And, next to him...

"Callisto?!" Xena said, startled by her presence. "Callisto" didn't say anything, a confused expression on her face. "I thought you said we were here to stop her," she questioned Tia, her eyes never leaving her nemesis.

"You are," said a male voice. "This is her descendant."

Xena turned to see a tall, powerfully-built man approach her. His look was rather unusual, his body completely wrapped in bandages and his skin a bluish-gray color, but she'd seen stranger things. Despite his odd appearance, he was quite handsome.

"I take it that you're in charge here?" she asked him, not sure if he could be trusted.

"I am," he nodded. "My name is Ja-Kal." He extended his hand.

She accepted it, her grip firm and strong. "Xena. Tia said you needed some help with a couple of old friends of mine."

"We'd be grateful for any assistance you can offer us," Ja-Kal told her.

"No problem," Xena smiled slightly, her guard relaxing. Her instincts told her this man was telling the truth and he appeared honorable. "It's not every day you get to time travel just to bash heads."

Gabrielle, a little unnerved by the stranger who resembled her husband's killer, approached Xena and Ja-Kal. "Hi, I'm Gabrielle."

"Hello, Gabrielle," Ja-Kal greeted her warmly. "Allow me to introduce you to my team." He motioned to the group of people in front of them.

Xena then noticed three others who looked similar to Ja-Kal, two men and a woman. The woman caught her attention. There was _something_ about her... A hidden something that merited a closer exploration.

Ja-Kal pointed out each one in turn. The first was a tall, skinny man named Rath. He was smart, but his personality left much to be desired. His ego made some people she knew look modest.

Second, she met Armon, a friendly if somewhat slow-witted gentle giant. He had a good heart and strong fighting skills. He reminded her a little of Joxer. 

The woman's name was Nefer-Tina. When Ja-Kal introduced her, Xena could immediately tell that there was something between them. It was so obvious that she was really surprised that no one else seemed to notice it. She could tell that they cared very deeply for one another.

Ja-Kal himself was a leader through and through. Her initial instincts about him remained intact and she could tell he was a good person. She knew they'd work well together. 

Next, Xena and Gabrielle met Presley, the very reason that they were there in the first place. He was quite cute and very friendly. If being a constant target bothered him, he hid it remarkably well.

Finally, they became acquainted with Kait and Matt, their descendants, and Miranda, who they found out was actually descended from Callisto's younger sister, long believed killed in the destruction of Cirra.

"Sorry I scared you like that," Miranda apologized. "Tia should have warned you."

"Tia's never been one to concern herself with others," Xena told her bluntly. She looked over her shoulder at Tia, who was looking rather bored.

"I know, but still," Miranda protested. She turned to Gabrielle. "I especially want to apologize to you. I know how much you loved Perdicus." Gabrielle looked up at her, surprised.

"Aunt Miranda's made a career out of studying your scrolls," Kait explained to the confused bard.

"_My_ scrolls?" Gabrielle was incredulous.

"We know _everything_ about you two," Matt added in a conspiratorial tone. "Everything."

Xena shook her head. "Remind me to hide your quills when we get home," she told Gabrielle teasingly. She patted her stomach. Meeting Matt and Kait gave her hope for the future of the child she now carried.

*** 

Presley sat on the floor playing with Kahti while the grown-ups talked and began planning their strategy. As Kahti pounced one hand, he took a quick look at the watch around the wrist of his other. _Aw, man_, he thought, _Mom is gonna freak if I don't get home like now_. 

He pushed the sacred cat away and stood up. Kahti, momentarily annoyed at the rejection, began to clean her paws. "Guys, I gotta go. It was great meeting everyone, but I'm late for dinner!" he announced.

"Sure thing, Pres," Kait waved. "We'll see you tomorrow. I wouldn't miss this for the world!" Matt rolled his eyes at her and Kait smacked his arm.

"Hey, Nef, can you give me a lift?" he asked Nefer-Tina.

Nefer-Tina stood up. "Yeah, sure. I need to get out for a while anyway."

"I'll bet you do," Tia sneered at her. "And we both know the reason why."

Nefer-Tina's expression remained cheery, but her body had gone stiff once again at the sound of Tia's voice. "Come on, Presley. We'll take the Hot-Ra."

*** 

Xena quietly observed Tia's verbal attack on Nefer-Tina. Judging by Nefer-Tina's reaction, there was definitely a history between them. A dark history. This was most likely what she had sensed earlier.

Xena decided that she'd have a little talk with Nefer-Tina in private.

*** 

Presley was worried. Nefer-Tina had hardly said a word the entire ride home. She was usually so bubbly and talkative, which was one of the reasons he loved to let her drive him, despite her recklessness.

And, speaking of that, she was actually driving safely. _Something must really be wrong,_ he thought. _Her driving's never this good!_

He thought back to the mean things that Tia-lady had said to Nefer-Tina. He was confused, since Ja-Kal had always told him that his wife was really nice. She'd even picked on Armon! Ja-Kal had seemed shocked by her behavior too. 

"You okay, Nef?" he asked, his concern evident in his voice.

Her eyes did not leave the road. "Your street's up ahead," was all she said.

"Nef," he countered the evasion. "You didn't answer my question. What's up? This isn't like you."

"I really don't want to talk about it," she softly told him. "Please?"

"Uh, okay," he answered. He didn't understand, but he'd respect her wishes.

They drove the rest of the way in silence. Nefer-Tina pulled up to the curve in front of the Carnovan house.

Presley sat for a moment before removing his harness and opening the passenger door. "You sure you're all right?"

Nefer-Tina smiled weakly at him. "Don't worry about me, my prince. I'll be fine. Now go inside and tell your mother that you're home safely."

"I'll see you tomorrow then. Bye," Presley said as he got out and closed the door.

"Goodbye," Nefer-Tina told him.

Presley watched the Hot-Ra drive away before turning to go inside. He dug into his backpack and found his key. He looked at his torn and bloody appearance and hoped Mom wouldn't ask too many questions. His keys jingled as he stuck them into the lock. Before he could begin to turn it, the door swung open of its own accord.

"Presley! Oh, my god, where have you been?!" Amanda cried as she dropped to her knees and hugged him fiercely.

"Mom, I'm okay," Presley protested, struggling free from her arms. He looked up at his mother and was surprised to see that she'd been crying. His mom _never_ cried.

"When I heard about the park and then when Walter called looking for you..." she trailed off. "Oh, baby, I didn't know where you were! And, you never called to tell me if you were all right!"

Presley felt horrible. He hadn't seen Mom this upset since before the divorce and he'd been really little at the time. It _was_ his fault for not keeping in touch. "I'm really sorry, Mom."

"I know, baby. I'm just glad that you're home," Amanda told him, hugging him again. She stood up and finally saw the state he was in. "What happened to you?!"

Presley began to weave a story full of half-truths to explain where he'd been and how he'd gotten hurt. Luckily she bought it and his secret was safe once again. But, how much longer could he really expect to keep her from learning the truth?

*** 

Nefer-Tina was driving with no particular destination in mind. Now that she was alone, she allowed the tears to fall. She knew she couldn't go back yet, not like this. Not with _her_ still there.

Why did she have to come back? Why now? Now when she was starting to have so much difficulty keeping her secret from Ja-Kal. Nothing had changed, even after 3500 years. Tia hated her as much as before, maybe more.

And, now, there was nothing keeping Tia from revealing the truth to Ja-Kal. In this new time and world, when Nefer-Tina was no longer hiding her identity, Tia had nothing to blackmail her with. What would Ja-Kal do if Tia told him? How would he react?

She needed someplace to go and think, to sort things out. Most of all, she needed to be alone. 

The perfect place came to mind and she turned the Hot-Ra towards her new destination.

  
  



	8. Chapter 18 to Chapter 20

Chapter Eighteen:

Kait could feel her eyelids drooping with fatigue. She, Matt, and Miranda had sat fascinated for the past few hours as Xena, Ja-Kal, Rath, and Tia discussed possible strategies to use against Velasca and Callisto. She took a look at her watch and saw how late it had gotten. She knew that her morning classes were definitely out!

She turned to look at Matt, who appeared to be as tired as she was. She nudged his arm slightly to get his attention. "Hey, Matt," she whispered as to not disturb the others. "I'm beat."

Matt yawned and nodded. "Me too. Let's go home."

They both looked at Miranda. She seemed to be tired as well.

"Aunt Miranda," Kait called in a soft voice, "we're ready to leave. Wanna go?"

"Huh?" Miranda pulled herself away from the intense discussion and glanced at her wrist watch. "Oh, yeah. This old lady needs her rest."

Kait giggled under her breath and stood up. She hated to bother the think tank, but she really had little choice. The idea of spending the night on a stone couch wasn't very appealing. "Um, guys?" she called out. The four of them stopped what they were doing and turned to her. Tia looked a little annoyed at the disruption. "It's kind of late, so me, Matt, and Miranda are gonna hit the road."

"I would prefer that you stay here," Ja-Kal told her. "It will be safer for you."

"You think those nut cases will come after us again tonight?" Matt wanted to know.

"No, I don't think there's any danger of that," Xena put in. "Presley is their primary target. You three are secondary."

"That's comforting," Kait commented sarcastically.

"And, from what I've been told," Xena continued, "Scarab doesn't know his identity or where he lives. Since you were unknown until today, I doubt they know yours either."

"I believe she's right," Rath added, directing his comment at Ja-Kal. "There's no reason why they cannot return to their homes."

"Great, then it's settled," Kait declared. She turned to her companions. "We're outta here!"

"What's going on?" Gabrielle asked as she and Armon returned from the kitchen area. They had both decided to have a little snack.

"We're headed home," Matt informed her.

An idea formed in Kait's head. "Hey, why don't you and Xena stay with me and Aunt Miranda? My apartment's not the biggest, but it'll accommodate us comfortably."

Gabrielle brightened at this prospect. It was the perfect opportunity to learn about this future time. "Xena?"

"You go ahead," Xena told her friend. "I'd like to scout out the area and start getting a feel for the terrain. I'll be fine staying here."

"Your choice," Kait said. As she started to leave, she said to Matt, "Well, so much for getting notes from Ti-, uh, Nefer-Tina. We'll just have to ask Valerie in class tomorrow night."

"Notes? From Nefer-Tina?" Rath questioned her. "What are you talking about?"

Kait looked surprised. "You mean you didn't know?"

"Know what?" Rath asked.

"Nefer-Tina has been attending school for the past six months," Ja-Kal told him. "Kait and Matt are her classmates."

"And, you knew about it?" Rath was startled. "Why in Ra's name didn't you put an end to it?"

"I didn't see any harm in it," Ja-Kal said. "Scarab was gone and the prince was in no danger. As long as it didn't interfere with her duties, I saw no reason to stop her."

"Speaking of our wayward charioteer, she left a long time ago with our prince. Shouldn't she have returned by now?" Rath inquired.

"She did say that she needed to get out for a while," Ja-Kal pointed out, " but, you are right. She _has_ been gone a long time."

"She's probably dancing at one of those ridiculous night clubs she's so fond of," Rath decided.

"If I find her while I'm out, I'll bring her back here," Xena told them. "I'm sure she's all right."

"Would you like me to go search for her as well?" Tia asked in a tone that didn't sit right with Kait.

"No, I need you to stay here," Ja-Kal answered her. "One person searching is enough."

"As you wish," Tia said coldly.

Kait shivered internally. She did not like this goddess at all. "Come on, guys," she said.

"I'll be leaving now as well," Xena informed the group. She put on her warm winter coat and started following after the others. "I'll return as soon as I can."

After the five had left, Rath said, "I think I shall retire as well. It has been quite a long day." 

Ja-Kal nodded at him. "Go on ahead. I...have a few things to do before I recharge." He then looked directly at Tia.

Rath immediately knew what he meant and touched Armon's arm. "Come on, Armon."

"Okay," Armon said. He obediently followed Rath to the wall where the four sarcophagi stood. The two mummies disappeared into their respective coffins for the night.

Ja-Kal and Tia were alone. For a moment, neither said anything, an uncomfortable silence filling the room. 

Finally, Ja-Kal spoke. "Let's go someplace private. We have a lot of things to talk about."

"Yes," Tia said. "We do."

*** 

Ja-Kal led her to a room in the rear of the Sphinx which was rarely, if ever, used. There were no furnishings except for two chairs and a small table. Neither sat down as Ja-Kal shut the door behind them.

They stood in silence once again. It was an extremely awkward situation. It was impossible to find a way to begin.

Ja-Kal took this time to study Tia for the first time since her sudden arrival. She had drastically changed from the way he remembered her. And, he had a feeling that it was not for the better. 

Tia had been a modest, proper Egyptian woman. The goddess before him had no such reservations as her skin-tight, revealing garb suggested. She had always been shapely, but now she had the lean, muscular body of a warrior. Her hair reflected her new persona as well. It was longer and wilder than he had ever seen it. She was still very beautiful, but it was a harsh beauty.

"You must be surprised to see me after all this time," Tia said, breaking the heavy silence.

"Yes," he answered. "I never expected-"

She cut him off abruptly. "You never expected to see me until you returned to the Western Gate. As you can see, I am far from being dead. And, I never will be." Ja-Kal said nothing. Her mouth curved into a half-smile. "Forgive me. I have yet to greet you properly."

She suddenly closed the distance between them and kissed him hard on the lips.

Ja-Kal was startled by Tia's unexpected move. It was like nothing he had ever experienced. The kiss was rough and purely animalistic, anything loving drained from the once intimate gesture.

She drew back from him, a full smile now on her lips. "Quite different from what you remember, isn't it?"

He just stared at her. Never once during their courtship or marriage had she ever kissed him like that. She had been the only woman he had ever actually kissed and her kisses had always been soft and sweet. Where she had learned to kiss like this, he couldn't begin to imagine.

However, what surprised him the most was his own lack of an emotional response. When she kissed him, he had felt nothing. No love, no hate, just...nothing. During their life together, her kisses had stirred something deep within him. This last kiss had surprised him, nothing more. He had experienced more emotion when Chontra had appeared to him disguised as Tia. And, nothing could compare to the strong emotions evoked whenever Nefer-Tina was around...

_Stop it!_ he scolded himself. His _wife _was back and he could still not stop thinking about Nefer-Tina. What was wrong with him? Regardless of how he now felt towards Tia, he had taken vows which he refused to break. As far as he knew, Tia and he were still married.

"You haven't changed," Tia observed. She indicated his mummified state. "Much," she amended.

"While you are completely different. I hardly recognize you," Ja-Kal said. "What happened to you? Where have you been all these years?"

Tia smiled again. "Let's just say your death was the best thing that ever happened to me."

Ja-Kal was too stunned to say a word. In a casual tone, she had just informed him that the love they shared meant nothing to her. It was the cruelest thing that had ever been said to him. He felt as if he'd just taken a blow to the gut.

He finally recovered his voice. "You cannot truly mean that. I loved you and I thought you loved me. I remember you always being so happy." The shock and hurt were evident in his voice.

She crossed her arms. "There was a time when I was happy with you. I _did_ love you, but you don't seem to remember what life was like for us. You were never around, always off somewhere on royal business. First with the Pharaoh, then his son. We hardly saw each other. Your duties always came first, even before your own wife," she told him. "We spent so little time together. Why do you think it took so long for us to have any children?"

"You never said anything," he said. "If I had known-"

"If you had known, what?" she interrupted him. "You would have left the palace with me? Hmm? You would have taken me out of Egypt if I asked?" He did not answer her. "I didn't think so."

"Do you know why I fell in love with you?" she questioned him. "Did you ever stop and think why I chose you over, say, your brother?"

"I didn't think there had to be a reason," he flatly said. 

She glared at him. "Apparently, you don't really know me at all. Do you remember what I dreamed about when we were children?" When he remained silent once more, she continued. "All I ever wanted was to leave our gods-forsaken village and make something of myself. I wanted to be somebody. I wanted fame.

"Of all the men in our village, you had the potential. You were the most skilled hunter in all of Egypt. I knew you'd leave the fold and move on to bigger and better things. I was attracted to _that_. That is why I fell in love with you.

"The day the Pharaoh chose you to join the Royal Hunt was one of the happiest in my life. I loved you so much and I was willing to follow you anywhere." 

Ja-Kal was seeing Tia in a new light. For the first time, he was learning the true nature of the woman he had called wife. She had only loved him because it suited her purposes. Had their son Padjet meant nothing to her as well? He felt any traces of love for her draining away. The woman he believed he had married had never existed.

"I was pregnant when you died," she went on. "You had a daughter. I didn't find out until the day after you died. Ironically, our last night together was Mylina's first."

Mylina. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had had a daughter and he never knew it. He never knew her. It was almost too much to take in at once.

"Did they, our children I mean, have good lives?" He had to know.

"They and their two half siblings, Lysia and Taran, had very full and happy lives," Tia informed him. "Linicus was a wonderful father to them all."

At his look of surprise, she said, "Yes, I remarried. And, I bore my second husband's children. Did you think my life would end without you? It actually didn't begin until you were gone."

The realization that Tia was no longer his wife and had not been for 3500 years sank in slowly. All the time he had spent worrying about her and his son had been for nothing. She had picked up her life and moved on as soon as he was, in a sense, out of the way. Did she even mourn for him? 

"I left Memphis after the burial ritual," Tia said as if answering his unspoken question. "It lasted a little longer than I would have wanted, since the Pharaoh waited until _all_ the guardians were dead."

"What do you mean by that?" Ja-Kal asked. Hadn't they all died that day in the desert? 

"Oh, I guess she didn't tell you," Tia shrugged. "Your charioteer wasn't dead when the search party found her. She was the one who told the Pharaoh about Scarab's treachery. She died a few days later." If there was more to the story, Tia wasn't elaborating. 

Again, Ja-Kal wondered about Tia's behavior towards Nefer-Tina. There was no hostility in this remark, but nothing indicating anything else either. Strangely, Tia still had not actually said Nefer-Tina's name, just referring to her by her position this time. At least it was better than what she had said earlier. 

And, he had never known that Nefer-Tina was still alive after the battle. Why hadn't she told him this either? He had always wondered how the Pharaoh had discovered that Scarab was behind the attack and now he knew. Despite everything she had told him in the restaurant, Nefer-Tina still had many secrets. What else wasn't she telling him? 

Tia continued with her story, seeming unconcerned about any effect her earlier remark about Nefer-Tina was having on Ja-Kal. "I didn't wait for Scarab's trial, since I believed that he would get what he deserved. Apparently, he didn't. After I left Memphis, I just began to travel through Egypt with the children. Mylina was born is some small village whose name I can't even recall. For several years, I worked my way across our homeland, hoping to make enough money to get out. It was during this time that I met Linicus. 

"Linicus was a fairly well-off Greek trader. He took pity on me and the children and offered me a job on his ship. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to see more of the world, I jumped at the chance. I learned so much from him in a relatively short period of time. It was soon after that that I realized that I had fallen in love with him. Not for what he could give me, but for just being him."

Ja-Kal just watched Tia as she told him her story. If that last remark was meant to hurt him, she showed no indication. He refused to give her any satisfaction and did not react. 

"I'm sure you are wondering how I became an Amazon goddess, of all things," she suddenly changed the subject. 

"I am," he said tonelessly. He wanted to know, just to hear about his children if nothing else. He no longer cared about Tia's ambitions or what she did with herself. Her rejection of his love had been too hurtful. She now meant nothing to him. 

"All right. Linicus, the children, and I were caught by a tribe of Amazons whose land we had accidentally stumbled on. I had learned how to fight during my travels and put my skills to use that day. I actually took out two of the warriors before I was finally subdued. The queen was very impressed and decided that I was worthy of joining her tribe. I, of course, agreed and remained with them. Linicus and the children were sent to the nearby village where the men and children lived. Mylina and Lysia were inducted into the tribe when they came of age. Padjet and Taran remained with their father.

"Years later, when the old queen way dying, she gave me her right of caste as she had no children of her own. I became the queen and ruled for a good sixty years. I was well into my nineties when my health finally failed. I had held the longest reign of any queen who came before or after me. Because of that, I was a great favorite of Artemis, the patron goddess of the Amazons.

"She came to me as I lay dying. For my loyalty and strong leadership, she offered me the chance to become a god and assist her for eternity. It was a dream come true and I accepted her offer. She restored my youth and appointed me Tracker for the Gods due to my incredible hunting abilities. And, that is where I have been ever since," she finished.

Ja-Kal just stared at his former wife. She had done so much in her life and now her immortal one as well. She had gotten everything she wanted and more.

It hurt him to find out that she had never really loved him. He had loved her so much and had felt such incredible guilt over leaving her alone with their son when he died. To learn that he had nothing to feel guilty about except not knowing his two children left him reeling. It made him feel as if he had wasted so much of the past year and a half worrying about Tia, hoping that she had been able to go on without him. She hadn't even needed him. 

Yet, he now felt a sense of relief. He knew how everything had turned out and that Padjet and the daughter he never knew about had grown up loved by two parents. His only regret was learning the truth about Tia. His first great love had never really loved him at all. 

And, he no longer loved her either. 

Chapter Nineteen:

Xena traveled in the shadows as she surveyed the strange city of the future. According to her hosts, this city was named "San Francisco." Although the name sounded Spanish, she was told that she was in a place called "California," which was a small part of something known as the "United States of America." It was a coastal area with a large salt water bay that extended into an ocean. The city itself was huge, much larger than any place she'd visited in her own time. And she'd gotten around quite a bit.

Using the stars to guide her, she had covered a fairly large area in the past several hours. In reality, it was not much in a city of this size, but it was a start. She was currently in what she assumed to be a residential district. She decided that she had seen enough for her first scouting mission. It was time to return to the Sphinx.

She also had not seen any sign of the missing guardian, Nefer-Tina, yet. She hoped that the woman had already returned. Ja-Kal had seemed a bit concerned by her absence although the others treated it as a normal occurrence. And, Tia's "eagerness" to help was decidedly out of character. She needed to talk to Nefer-Tina and find out what had happened between her and the Amazon goddess. She had a feeling that Ja-Kal was involved somehow as well.

Xena glanced at the night sky and quickly determined her new heading. But before she got very far, the sound of childish laughter and loud music caught her attention. What were children doing up this late? She had thought that even in this future time young ones would need their sleep. Curious, the Warrior Princess went to investigate.

She followed the pleasant commotion to one of the strange houses of this time. The activity seemed to be coming from the rear, which was surrounded by a fence. She easily leaped over the fence without making a sound and crouched behind a bush. She couldn't help but smile at what she saw.

Several small girls, none older than nine, were laughing and dancing to the delight of two watchful adults. They were all situated in what appeared to be a room encased in a strange mesh material. The source of the girls' amusement, and the loud music, was an unusual boxy device which displayed moving pictures and sounds on its front panel. What made it even stranger was that the pictures were not painted or drawn. They appeared to have been pulled from the world. They looked as real as the yard she was standing in.

The current pictures were of four flamboyantly dressed women who were singing and dancing. Every once in a while, the image would change to show an enormous audience comprised of screaming fans. It reminded her, though on a much larger scale, of the shows she'd scene in Piraeus, the Appian Way. The performers sang with the accent of those native to Britannia:

Sisters are doing it for themselves.

Standing on their own two feet,

Ringing their own bells.

__

Catchy tune, Xena thought to herself.

_This_ is what she was fighting for. To make the world a safer place for children like these to grow up in. Like her own unborn child...

Her hand automatically went to her swollen abdomen. Although she'd never say anything to Gabrielle, she had doubts about her own ability to be a good mother. She had failed so utterly with Solan. Who was she to be given a second chance? What kind of life could she offer her child? She and Gabrielle were always getting involved in dangerous situations. How would she be able to protect her child while she was busy protecting herself? It was one of the reasons she had given up Solan all those years ago.

It had been over a year since Solan's death and she was still grieving. He had lost everyone he had ever loved and never known his mother until after his death. Alti had seen to that with her curse. It was so unfair. He had been so young. His death was so pointless...

She blinked the tears away that had formed in her eyes. She was here to perform a mission. The baby was not due for quite a while and Solan was in the Elysian Fields for all eternity. She roused herself away from the happy scene and quietly left the yard. She continued on her way

*** 

Xena had almost reached the Sphinx when she saw it- one of the strange horseless vehicles used in this time. It was sitting alongside the road and appeared to be deserted. There was nothing usual about that in itself. However, the Egyptian motif could not be a coincidence. This had to be the vehicle Nefer-Tina left in with Presley. What was it doing here?

Poising her hand over her chakram, she soundlessly approached the seemingly empty vehicle. There was no indication of a struggle, which could mean any number of things. She could not tell how long it had been here. And, there was no sign of either Nefer-Tina or Presley.

Xena's guard immediately snapped into place. She had to find them and see if they needed help. There was the possibility that this could be nothing, but she was not taking any chances. Her job was to protect and help these people and that was exactly what she intended to do.

Looking around, she spotted a path that led into the woods that lined the roadway. It seemed as good a place as any to start searching. She peered into the darkened forest and saw no sign of anyone or anything having passed through violently. She stepped onto the path and started following it.

Xena walked for what seemed to be about ten minutes through the pitch-black woods. The path wound its way through the trees and went up and down a few hills. It was pretty well-worn, meaning that this was probably a public pathway that was used quite often. It was very quiet except for a few noisy animals.

Finally, she reached the end of the forest. What she saw at the bottom of the hill took her breath away.

Before her lay a beautiful lake. The calm waters reflected the beams of the bright moon, bathing the area in a soft white light. Surrounding the lake was a multitude of benches where people could sit and admire the lovely view.

One of them was occupied.

She was too far away to be certain, but she had a feeling that she knew who it was sitting there all alone. Remaining as silent as possible, she began to make her way down to the lake. If it was who she believed it to be, she did not want to scare her away. She needed to talk to her.

Xena was soon close enough to positively identify the figure as Nefer-Tina. From her rear vantage point, she could not see the woman's face, but the slight shaking of her shoulders told Xena all she needed to know. She was crying.

Xena quietly made her way over to the bench and sat down next to Nefer-Tina, who did not seem to notice her presence. Xena did not know this woman, having only met her for a brief moment several hours ago, but she could tell that she was in desperate need of help. There was an urgency to her silent plea that Xena could not ignore. 

Xena reached out and put a comforting hand on Nefer-Tina's shoulder. "Are you all right?" she asked softly.

Nefer-Tina, who had been lost in her emotions, was startled by both the touch and the question. Her head snapped around to see who had spoken to her. When she saw who it was, she tried to get up but found herself firmly held in place by the hand on her shoulder. "Xena?! What are you doing here?" 

"I could ask you the same thing," the warrior said. "I thought you went to take Presley to his home. Why haven't you returned to the Sphinx yet?" 

Nefer-Tina wiped at her tears. "I-I..." she began, but words failed her. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm not usually like this."

Xena loosened her grip on Nefer-Tina's shoulder but her hand remained in place. "You didn't answer my question," she said. "Why are you here? Is it because of what Tia said to you?"

Nefer-Tina turned away. "It's nothing," she lied. "Just a personal matter." She gazed out onto the lake.

Xena shook her head. "It doesn't look like nothing to me. In fact, I _know_ that it has something to do with Tia." She paused a moment. "And, Ja-Kal as well." 

Nefer-Tina didn't answer, still refusing to look at her.

"You're in love with him."

Nefer-Tina whirled to look at her, her eyes widened in shock. "Y-you know?"

"Why haven't you told him?" Xena bluntly asked, ignoring her question.

Nefer-Tina turned away again. "For a lot of reasons," she spoke quietly. "Mostly because I'm afraid of hurting him."

"How long have you been in love with him?"

"Since I was sixteen years old," Nefer-Tina told her.

"And you never told him?" Xena asked again.

"I couldn't, especially not after what happened..." Nefer-Tina began to say, letting her voice trail off. 

"Why?" she repeated. "What happened? And, what does Tia have to do with any of this?"

Nefer-Tina closed her eyes to try to keep the tears from returning. "She's his wife."

"His wife?" Xena breathed in amazement. If Tia had been Ja-Kal's wife and she knew about Nefer-Tina's love for him... Things were rapidly beginning to fall into place. "She knows, doesn't she?"

"Yes," was the sad reply.

Xena knew her next question was cruel but it had to be asked. "Were they married when you fell in love with him?"

"No! Of course not!" Nefer-Tina cried forcefully. "They were married after I came back."

"Came back from where?" Xena queried. 

"Please, I don't want to talk about it," Nefer-Tina begged. "Not right now. Why don't you just go back and tell Ja-Kal that you found me. I'm sure he's furious that I'm not back yet."

Xena folded her arms. "_We_ aren't going anywhere until I hear everything. There's more to this story than you're telling me."

Nefer-Tina looked at Xena again. She had never told anyone her entire story. Bits and pieces of it, maybe, but never the whole thing. Ja-Kal knew more than anybody yet he didn't even know half. "Why do you care so much?"

"Because I like you," Xena smiled slightly. "I can see that you're in a lot of pain. And, I know that it helps sometimes to talk about it. I just want to help you. Tell me what happened to you."

Nefer-Tina smiled back weakly. Deep in her heart, she knew she could trust this stranger. Xena knew nothing of her past. She was a neutral figure who could listen with no prejudices towards her or anyone. She felt _safe_ confiding in her.

"It's a long story," she said, trying to lighten the heavy mood slightly.

"I've got all night," Xena told her.

Nefer-Tina nodded slightly and tried to relax a little. Then, she began to tell Xena everything.

*** 

Tia stood with her arms folded across the room. "Is there anything else you wish to know?"

Ja-Kal could not find the words to express what he was feeling. The woman he had loved for over 3500 years had just told him that she had never really loved him. No, he corrected himself, she _had_, in her own way, loved him for a time, but it hadn't been a true love. She had loved him for what he could do for her, not for who he was. And, it hurt him to learn this. It hurt him deeply.

He had always been a very private man. He did not bestow his love or trust easily. It had to be earned. And, he had also considered himself a pretty good judge of character. However, he seemed to have misjudged Tia entirely.

He had believed he knew what kind of person Tia was when he fell in love with her. They had, after all, grown up together. He had never seen her show cruelty towards another human being until today...

Again he found his thoughts drifting back to Nefer-Tina. When he had first met her, she had been disguised as Nefer. Although the friendship that grew between them was based on a falsehood, it had been real. She had not deliberately gone out of her way to deceive him like Tia had. Nefer-Tina's reasons for lying about her identity were to protect herself from a world that had rejected her. She had never tried to hide who she really was. He knew her feelings of friendship towards him were genuine, as were his for her. Feelings of friendship and perhaps something more... 

For the first time since the restaurant, Ja-Kal did not fight his attraction to Nefer-Tina. He was not married anymore, had not been since he "died." Tia had released him from any obligations to her when she had told him the truth of their relationship. There was no reason why he couldn't allow himself to be in love with another...

However, he still knew he could never be with her. Their duty to the prince took precedence over all personal matters. She was also his second-in-command now. And, there was always the chance that she did not feel the same way...

He looked at Tia again. Why had she acted so antagonistic towards Nefer-Tina? She had attacked her verbally twice, both incidents unprovoked. He decided that it was time to find out the truth behind her behavior. 

"Why do you hate Nefer-Tina so much?" he finally asked his ex-wife. 

The smile Tia graced him with was extremely unsettling. "You really don't know who she is, do you?"

"She's my teammate and my friend," he told her. "Whoever she was before doesn't matter to me."

"Maybe you have changed after all," Tia mused. "The Ja-Kal I knew would never have allowed her to remain part of his team after he found out she had been lying to him."

"I admit that I was angry when she revealed herself to be a woman," he confessed, "but she proved that it changed nothing. She is still the same loyal guardian that she always was. Her sex does not make her who she is."

"Funny you should mention that word," Tia continued. "Though you may change your mind about her once you hear what kind of person she really is."

Ja-Kal had a feeling that he knew where this was going. However, he would never break his promise to Nefer-Tina and admit to Tia that he already knew what had happened all those years ago. It would be best to feign ignorance. "I still don't know what you're talking about."

"That's right. You weren't there when it happened. You would never have recognized 'the Whore of Memphis' when you saw her," Tia thought out loud.

"'The Whore of Memphis'?" Ja-Kal carefully repeated. "I don't understand," he lied.

"Let me fill you in on the past of your so-called friend and teammate. Do you recall the stories about the banished palace musician? The one who was found to be with child?" Tia asked in an attempt to jog his memory. 

He nodded. "Vaguely. I think I remember you being rather ecstatic about it when I returned home from a hunting trip."

Tia let loose a small laugh. "Ah, so you _do_ remember. Do you know why I was so happy?"

"I think it would be better if you just told me," Ja-Kal flatly said. 

"While you were away, a rumor about a pregnant palace musician was circulating through the city. I decided to find out for myself who this disgraceful member of the court was and I easily discovered her," Tia told him. "It was rather hard to hide her condition at that point. It was, of course, Nefer-Tina."

So, Tia had been the one who turned her in. It explained why Nefer-Tina feared her so much, Ja-Kal realized. Tia must have recognized her immediately when she came back as "Nefer." But why hadn't she exposed "his" identity to anyone?

"The right thing to do, as I believe you would have done as well in my place, was to turn her in to the Pharaoh. By doing so, I felt that I was preserving the honor of the House of Amenhotep. An uncontrollable servant reflects poorly on the strength of one's rule, don't you agree? So, I personally dragged her to face Amenhotep in front of the entire court."

"She didn't put up much of a fight," Tia added as an aside. "The poor girl was frightened for her life." 

"Continue with the story," Ja-Kal stated tonelessly.

"All right," Tia said. "Amenhotep demanded to know right then and there who the father of her child was. To the disbelief of everyone in the room, she claimed that she didn't know, that she had been raped. Even the Pharaoh was startled by her audacity to lie about such a thing. She had tried to hide her pregnancy. Any woman in her right mind would have gone for help if she'd been raped. Why had she remained silent?" 

Ja-Kal fought down the urge to point out that maybe the reason that she hadn't told anyone was that she had been ashamed and humiliated over what had happened, which, of course, was the truth. It had been hard hearing it the first time, but it was even worse with the cruel slant that Tia added to the story. 

"Everyone knew she was lying and the Pharaoh decreed that there would be a trial unless she confessed her crime," Tia was saying. "She was very stubborn and stuck with her rape story. No one believed her." She looked Ja-Kal directly in the eyes. "She is an extremely beautiful woman, as I'm sure even _you_ noticed. She could have easily lured any man she wanted into her bed by her looks alone." 

Ja-Kal could tell that her last statement was aimed directly at him. Did she somehow know about his feelings for Nefer-Tina? How could she? It was impossible. Wasn't it? 

"The trial was swift and just, but by the time it was over, the entire city knew about the wanton slut," Tia continued. "When the Pharaoh rightly banished her, there was nowhere for her to hide. She had no choice but to leave Memphis. She disappeared shortly after the trial, only to return two years later in that pathetic disguise of hers."

"Her lover was never found either. He must not have felt as strongly for her as she did for him," she mused. "Probably was just using her for sex anyway." 

"What of her child?" Ja-Kal asked, ignoring the last comment. He hoped he could find out something to tell Nefer-Tina. "Does anyone know what became of it?"

Tia shrugged. "Like I said, she disappeared after the trial. You know as much as I do after that. 'Nefer' did not have any children, now did 'he'?" 

Her response was too casual. She knew something that she wasn't telling him. "If you knew who she was, why didn't you turn her in?"

Tia's smile turned predatory. "I think that would be self-explanatory. She was being forced to live as a man to save her own life. She probably lived in fear of being found out every second of every day. If her identity was discovered, she would have been put to death. I think that she was suffering more for her crimes living like that than if she'd been executed, don't you agree?" 

Again, her answer was too pat, too prepared. There was a lot more to this story than either woman had told him. He was determined to get the full story out of one of them, preferably Nefer-Tina. Why wasn't she being completely honest with him? What was she hiding? 

What was she afraid of telling him? 

*** 

Nefer-Tina tried to pull herself together and speak, but she was still crying too hard. She clung tightly to Xena, who was gently stroking her hair in a motherly fashion.

It had been a difficult retelling of her past with no omissions at all. Xena had been understanding during the frequent bouts of tears that erupted during particularly painful sections. For the first time in her existence, she had come completely clean about everything. She had told Xena about Ja-Kal, Tia's hatred of her, the rape, the trial and banishment, and everything else. She even spoke of the other night with Ja-Kal and how she had almost kissed him. 

Xena had listened mostly in silence, only asking questions to clarify minor points. Nefer-Tina could not tell what Xena thought of her now that she knew about her disgraceful past. She was just glad for her company. She did not think she could handle being alone. 

Nefer-Tina pushed herself into an upright sitting position and once more wiped furiously at her eyes. She was ashamed of the way she had continually lost control of her emotions in that manner. "I'm so sorry," she apologized again.

"Stop saying that," Xena firmly admonished her. "You have nothing to apologize for. What you went through was horrible. I could see how painful it was for you to tell me about it. I'm almost sorry I made you relive it."

Nefer-Tina sniffled a bit before she could respond. "No, I _needed_ to talk about it. Thank you for making me realize that. I feel better..._freer_...than I have since before everything happened."

Xena again placed a comforting hand on Nefer-Tina's shoulder. "I'm glad I could help you. However, the next step is something you have to do on your own. I can't do it for you."

"Next step?" she asked, confused.

Xena nodded. "You have to tell Ja-Kal how you feel."

"No!" Nefer-Tina burst out, pulling away from Xena's touch. "I can't! I just can't!" She began to hug herself tightly and looked down at the ground.

"Why not? You owe it to both of you to let him know. You can't go on pretending that you don't have feelings for him. Look at what's it doing to you," Xena told her.

"Please, I just can't tell him," she said. "You don't understand."

"You're right. I don't understand," Xena agreed. "What are you afraid of?"

"That I'll lose him," she quietly answered. "That he'll hate me for lying to him again. That he'd stop being my friend."

Xena pulled Nefer-Tina's arms down from her chest and took her hands in her own. "Nefer-Tina, listen to yourself. You're letting your fear have too much control. You can't possibly know how he'll react. Yes, he might be angry at you and, yes, you might even lose his friendship, but those are just possibilities. He could even laugh in your face and think that it was a joke. You just don't know. 

"I have a friend who was in the same predicament you are. His name is Joxer and for years he's been in love with Gabrielle. He also resisted telling her for the longest time, fearing that she'd hate him even more than he thought she did. I'm gonna tell you what I told him. Just tell Ja-Kal how you feel, that's all. Don't expect anything back from him. As I said to Joxer, 'no strings attached.' Then, anything that happens next is up to him," Xena said.

"But-" Nefer-Tina began to say.

"But, nothing," Xena cut her off. "All I'm saying is that you need to tell him the truth. Then, you just have to take the consequences it brings, no matter what they are. I can't predict how he'll react and neither can you. But, I can guarantee that you'll feel better for getting it out in the open. Trust me on this."

Nefer-Tina was silent for a moment. "What about Tia?"

"What about her? You're not a frightened sixteen-year-old girl anymore. She can't hurt you now," Xena told her. "You can't let her control your actions like you once did either. You can't let her keep you from telling the man you love how you feel." 

"I'll try to remember that," she smiled weakly. "So, anyway, how did Gabrielle react when Joxer told her?"

Xena smiled. "I was a little busy at the time, but I got the impression that she was a little surprised at his timing."

"Why? When did he tell her?"

"In the middle of a battle," Xena explained. "Gabrielle and I had just had a little 'death' experience and Joxer was afraid of losing her again so soon without her knowing how he felt about her."

"Poor guy," Nefer-Tina said. "So, has anything changed between them since he told her?"

"Well, he still follows us around everywhere we go and Gabrielle bonks him on the head at every opportunity, so, no. I would say that nothing's changed. But, sometimes I get the feeling that Gabrielle likes him more than she lets on."

"How about you? Is there anyone you have feelings for?" Nefer-Tina asked lightly. "You know, like the father of your baby?" 

Xena sighed heavily. "You're not going to believe me when I tell you this, but there is no father. I don't know how it happened. When I 'died,' I was not pregnant. Then, when I was resurrected, I was. I don't understand it either." She sighed again. "As for your question, yes, there _is_ someone, but our ways of life are too different for anything to come of it. I'm just content to be friends with him and that's the way I want it to stay." Xena stood up from the bench. "Besides, once this little one comes," she said, patting her belly, "I'm going to be a little too busy for romance."

Nefer-Tina stood up too. "Thank you," she said again. "For just listening to me and being a friend. I'll think about what you told me." 

"Please, do," Xena encouraged her. "You'll never be able to move on until you tell him."

"I just don't know if I'll be able to," Nefer-Tina said. "I've kept it a secret for so long. I'm so afraid that I'll lose his trust. He's such an honorable and good person and all I do is lie to him. Even if he did have feelings for me, I wouldn't blame him for hating me."

"Don't say things like that. You just won't know until you try. He might just surprise you," Xena told her. 

Nefer-Tina nodded wearily. "Would you like a ride back to the Sphinx? I think I'm ready to go home now."

"I'd love one," Xena smiled warmly. "Lead the way."

The two women started to walk back up the hill.

Chapter Twenty:

Scarab, in his guise of Harris Stone, approached the office door of Amanda Carnovan. In his right hand, he held the handle of a very large briefcase. A briefcase that contained the stolen Xena Scrolls.

The Scrolls had served their purpose. He had gotten what he wanted and therefore had no further use for them. His immortality was nearly in his grasp. Velasca was the perfect weapon. He had no doubt that she would deliver Rapses and destroy the mummies like she promised. The nights they shared were just an added bonus. 

Scarab knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for an invitation to enter. Carnovan sat at her desk, typing at her computer. She looked up to see her visitor.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Stone," Carnovan greeted him warmly. "Is there something I can help you with?"

He smiled thinly at the woman. "Actually, I came because of what I can do for _you_." He placed the briefcase on her desk.

Carnovan's brow knitted in confusion. "For me? I'm afraid I don't quite follow you."

He did not answer. Instead, he opened the briefcase and turned it so she could view what it held.

"The Xena Scrolls!" she gasped, standing up. "Where...how?"

If only she knew... "I'm a very wealthy man," he told her. "I have many resources at my disposal."

"But the police-" she began.

He cut her off with a wave of his hand. "The police are limited in their abilities to search. I, on the other hand, am not. This museum has been _very_ good to me over the years. Consider this a token of my esteem."

"All right," Carnovan said, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "Thank you."

Scarab smiled to himself as he realized what she was thinking. She believed that he had used illegal means to obtain something already stolen. In essence, steal them back from the criminals. What she didn't know was how close to the actual truth she was. 

"I would suggest you don't concern yourself any further with this matter. Just be happy that they _are_ recovered," he said, attempting to quell her worries. She was smarter than he would have ever given her credit for. Strange that he hadn't noticed that about her before.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Mr. Stone," Carnovan explained, "but you have to admit that your timing is suspicious. The Scrolls haven't even been missing a week."

"I understand where you are coming from," he told her. "I realize that the police usually take more time to solve crimes of this nature. Rest assured that nothing illegal has transpired in the recovery of these artifacts." 

"I'm sorry for doubting you, sir," Carnovan finally said. She looked up and smiled apologetically. "With all the crimes occurring so frequently..." 

"Consider it forgotten," he waved her off. He watched her as she reclosed the briefcase and fastened the clasps. For the first time, he noticed that she was quite an attractive woman. He had associated with her for years, but never really viewed her in that way. Until his "acquisition" of the Xena Scrolls, his obsession with obtaining his immortality had been all-consuming. Nothing else had mattered. Now, with it being so close, he had time to pay attention to other things. 

Velasca was the first woman he had shared his bed with since his imprisonment all those millennia ago. He had forgotten how enjoyable it was. After he disposed of her, he'd need someone to take her place...

"Well, thank you again for returning these. The museum owes you a debt of gratitude," Carnovan told him as she walked around her desk, the briefcase in her hand. "I really need to show these to Mr. Hepplewhite. Would you like to accompany me? I'm sure Mr. Hepplewhite would like to thank you in person."

Scarab shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I have a few things to do elsewhere. I'll show myself out. Good day, Ms. Carnovan."

"Same to you, Mr. Stone," Carnovan said. "I-" 

"Hey, Mom!" a youthful voice interrupted. A very familiar voice.

Scarab turned to see who had entered the office. His eyes went wide in total shock.

It was Rapses. And, he had just addressed Amanda Carnovan as his mother.

*** 

Presley, followed by Miranda, entered his mother's office. They were headed over to join the others in the Sphinx and had come up with a cover story to explain where he'd be spending the rest of the day.

"Hi, honey," Amanda greeted her son. She smiled as she saw Miranda as well. "Miranda! I was about to call you!"

"Well, then I guess our timing was perfect," Miranda smiled. 

Amanda gestured to the older man standing beside her. "You remember Harris Stone, don't you?" Presley noticed that the guy was staring at both of them in a really weird way.

"Hello, Mr. Stone," Miranda said coolly. 

Presley looked at Miranda. He could tell she didn't like this Stone guy very much. In fact, Stone was giving _him_ the creeps as well. Creeps that were really familiar...

"Dr. Larson," Stone returned, in much the same tone. "Yes, I remember you. We met right before the exhibit opened." 

_Oh, my god!_ Presley thought. _That's Scarab's voice!_

Stone turned to look at Amanda, gesturing at Presley. "Amanda, you never told me you had a son."

"Well, I guess it never came up," she shrugged. "Presley, sweetie, come here." She motioned for him to come over to her.

Presley gulped nervously while trying to remain calm. He slowly approached his mother, eyeing Stone the whole time. Just because he had the same voice didn't mean anything, did it? But, even as he told himself that, he knew it wasn't true. The man in front of him was Scarab and he and his mom were in serious trouble.

Amanda put her hands on both of Presley's shoulders. "Presley, I'd like you to meet Mr. Harris Stone. Not only is he a generous benefactor to this museum, but we've worked together quite a bit over the past few years. Mr. Stone, this is my son Presley."

"Presley," Stone purred in a strange tone. "It's a pleasure to _finally_ make your acquaintance."

_I'll bet it is_. "Yeah, same here," Presley answered. There was no doubt in his mind that this was Scarab. He didn't think that Scarab realized that he knew who he was yet. He had to somehow get Miranda and get them out of there. He had to tell the guys NOW.

"Mom, I've gotta go to the bathroom," he finally said, pulling away from his mother a little too quickly. 

"Uh, sure, honey," Amanda said, surprised at his rude behavior. "You know where it is."

"Yeah, I'll be back in a minute," Presley told her. He turned to Miranda. "Why don't you tell my mom why we came in the first place?"

With that said, he rushed out of his mother's office, not bothering to pull the door closed behind him.

He hoped that Miranda would hurry up. The sooner they got to the Sphinx, the better.

*** 

"I must apologize for his behavior," Amanda told Stone. "He's not usually like that. Presley's normally such a good boy."

"Yes, like a little prince I imagine," Stone said with a secretive smile.

Miranda wasn't sure what happened, but something about Stone had bothered Presley a great deal. She could understand. She was not too fond of him either.

Amanda gave a little laugh. "Well, not exactly. For the past six months, things have been fine, but for the year and a half before that his behavior was getting increasingly erratic. He'd disappear all day, only to come home late at night and go directly to bed. When I asked him about it, he'd give me some cockamamie story about where he'd been. I guess it was some phase he was going through," she shrugged. "Then last night... Well, never mind. So, what did he mean about your telling me something?" she asked Miranda.

"Oh, that," Miranda said. "Presley came to me the other day asking for some help with a school project. We were going to spend all afternoon working on it, if that's all right with you."

"Of course, it's fine," Amanda smiled. "Just have him back before it's too late. It's a school night, you know."

"Don't worry," Miranda assured her. "He will be safe and sound in his bed before midnight. So, you said you were about to call me?"

"Yes, that's right," Amanda said. "I have a little surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Miranda asked. 

"Oh, I think you'll be quite pleased," Amanda grinned. She handed the briefcase she was holding to Miranda. "Go ahead, open it."

Miranda made her way over to Amanda's desk and laid the heavy item on it. She flipped open the fasteners and lifted the top. "Oh!" she gasped as she saw the Xena Scrolls neatly laid out inside the briefcase. She turned to face both Amanda and Stone. "Where did you find these?"

"Mr. Stone kindly returned them a little while before you arrived," Amanda explained. "He had his own people look into the theft since the police did not seem to be making any progress."

Miranda looked at Stone as a realization hit her. She knew from Ja-Kal and the others that their enemy Scarab was the one who had stolen the Scrolls. The presence of Velasca and Callisto was proof of that in itself. So, how had Stone recovered them? Unless...

Stone _was_ Scarab! That would explain Presley's behavior. Apparently Presley had never met Stone until now, since Scarab was unaware of his true identity. That was no longer true. Not only did Scarab know who Presley really was, but he knew that Amanda was his mother. She was in danger now as well.

Keeping her demeanor calm, Miranda spoke up. "Thank you so much for returning these priceless artifacts. You have the gratitude of the entire International Association of Xena Studies. If there is anything we can ever do for you, just let me know. I'm sure that Janice and Mel would agree with me one hundred percent."

"I'll keep your offer in mind," Stone said. "You never know when a favor could come in handy." 

"Great. Well, I'd better get going. I'm sure Presley is almost done and we have a lot of work to do today," Miranda said as she backed up to the door. "It was very nice seeing both of you again. Thanks so much for recovering the Scrolls, Mr. Stone. Good bye."

Miranda left the office and started to turn towards the restroom when a hand shot out and grabbed her arm. She turned to see Presley standing outside the door against the wall where he could hear everything but not be seen. He gestured for her to say nothing until they were far enough away.

Presley led Miranda down a fairly deserted hallway. Finally, he stopped walking and turned to look at her. "We're in big trouble," he said. "That was Scarab!"

"I know," she told him. "He's the only one who could have had the Scrolls."

"I recognized his voice right away," Presley said. "He knows who I am now."

"This is bad," Miranda agreed.

"And, he knows who my mom is too!" Presley practically wailed. "She's in danger! Scarab can look us up in the phone book and find out where we live! Our house isn't safe anymore."

"We have to tell Ja-Kal right away. He'll know what to do," Miranda assured him.

"Yeah, he always does," Presley nodded. "Come on, I know a shortcut to the Sphinx from here."

*** 

Callisto sat on the roof of a building across the street from the museum. Miranda and the brat had gone inside a while ago and had yet to reemerge. Whatever they were doing, they were taking their time.

She had been following Miranda all day, trying to learn as much about her descendant as possible. The more she knew about her, the easier it would be to convince her to join her. After all this time, she finally had her family back. She was not about to lose it again.

Until she met Miranda, Callisto had not realized how empty her victory over Xena would have been, no, _had_ been. What was the point of a victory if you didn't have anyone to share it with? _That_ was why the death of Xena's son had not freed her of her torment. Her quest for revenge had never been just for her. It had been for her family. Without them, destroying Xena was almost pointless. That was about to change.

With Miranda, she had her family again. A family that could appreciate what she was doing and share her victory with her. A family that could understand _why_ she did what she did.

However, she had to first get Miranda to see things her way, to see the nobility of her cause. Miranda had been brainwashed by tales of Callisto's "villainy" passed down through the generations. It would be difficult to make her see through the lies perpetuated by Xena's family, but she was determined that she would succeed. Her family would not be kept apart from her any longer.

The boy was the key to her success. Miranda appeared to be quite protective of him. If she was anywhere as noble as the good Xena, then she would most likely do literally anything to keep him from harm. Possibly even join forces with someone she believed to be evil. If she were to promise that he would be kept safe, Miranda would have no choice but to help her get revenge against Xena's family. It would be a fair trade, wouldn't it? And, if she refused, well, Scarab would be getting his immortality after all.

The truth was that she could care less about helping Scarab and Velasca despite their promise of oblivion. Now that she had a family again, her will to live had returned full force. She had a purpose again-making Xena's family pay. It would be much more satisfying in the long run than ceasing to exist.

And, even if Miranda refused to join her, she still _had_ a family. A family that she vowed to avenge. 

Either way, she won.

  
  



	9. Chapter 21 to Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-One:

Miranda followed Presley as he led her through several deserted passageways in the museum. She listened quietly as he rambled about how no one came through them anymore and that the Sphinx was believed to be empty. Although he tried to sound cheerful, she could hear the despair in his voice. 

Suddenly, the tunnel appeared to come to a dead end. Before Miranda could ask where they went wrong, Presley took his amulet off and placed it into a slot on the stone wall. To her surprise, the wall slid open, revealing a hidden stairwell.

"We're here," Presley told her, retrieving the amulet.

"Let me guess. This wasn't part of the original exhibit, was it?" she grinned, trying to lighten his mood.

"Actually, it was sort of," he explained. "The stairs were built to give employees access to the Sphinx when it was still an exhibit. The tunnel was sealed up after my mom and Mr. Hepplewhite closed it. Rath just made a couple of modifications."

"I stand corrected," Miranda stated.

The two continued on and climbed the stairs. The wall silently slid shut behind them. They finally emerged into a sparsely furnished room. 

"Where are we now?" Miranda wanted to know.

"Just some room the guys never use," the boy shrugged. "Let's go find the others and give 'em the bad news."

"Lead the way."

They passed through several similar areas and rooms before they heard voices floating around the corner.

"...Nefer-Tina made the suggestion that I should disguise myself as Kait," Xena was telling the group as Presley and Miranda entered the room.

"Guys, we have a major problem!" Presley blurted out. All eyes in the room turned to him. "Scarab knows who I am!"

"What?! How?" Nefer-Tina asked.

"He was in Mom's office! I walked in and they were talking! He's known her for years!" Presley announced. "She even introduced me to him!"

"My prince, how is this possible?" Ja-Kal wanted to know.

"He has a very public persona," Miranda said, taking control of the explanation. "Any of you ever hear of Harris Stone?"

"The millionaire?" Kait asked. "The one who's always throwing his money around?"

"I've seen him on the magic box," Armon offered.

"I thought he was missing or something," Matt added.

"That's him," Miranda confirmed. "He was missing, until at least this week. He appeared in Presley's mother's office on Thursday when I had my first meeting with her."

"Are you certain it was him?" Ja-Kal asked.

"Positive," Presley told him. "I recognized his voice. Besides, he gave me the creeps. Only Scarab does that."

"You said Scarab disappeared six months ago right? So did Stone," Kait added. "Coincidence? I think not."

"More importantly," Xena interjected, "is he aware that you recognized him?"

"I don't think so," Presley answered. "Why?"

"Because he'd need to attack you immediately," she told him. "His identity is no longer a secret. He would want to silence you before you could tell anyone."

"But, I'm just a kid," he protested. "Who'd believe me anyway?"

"He's got a point there," Matt agreed. "Everyone would think he was crazy. Stone is a very influential figure in this city. Such wild accusations, especially from some teenager, would be immediately dismissed. No one believes in magic and stuff anymore."

"Hmph," Rath sniffed. "And they called _us_ primitive. Not believing in magic, indeed!"

"It doesn't matter then," Xena nodded. "We still have one other problem: the mother."

"Mom? What does she have to do with anything?"

"You said she and Scarab knew each other," Xena pointed out.

"They appeared pretty well acquainted the two times I saw them together," Miranda added. 

"So?" Presley pressed, totally confused by the direction Xena was taking. "He wouldn't hurt her or anything, would he?"

"Only if it worked to his advantage, my prince," Rath answered him. "He will do anything to ensure that he receives his immortality."

"I'm more concerned with the possibility that he might use your mother to get a hold of you," Xena told Presley. "She may trust him enough to give him access to your home. Once inside, he could do whatever he wanted to both of you."

"How about we avoid that possibility altogether?" Tia spoke up. She had not said a word for a long while. "I assume that the three of you have an idea where Scarab is located?" she directed at Miranda, Kait, and Matt.

"Yeah," Kait answered. "Everyone knows that Harris Stone lives like a recluse in that huge pyramid-shaped building downtown."

"Pyramid-shaped building," Ja-Kal repeated. "We have seen it many times on our trips into the city."

"We just never gave it any thought," Nefer-Tina added. 

"Hiding in plain sight," Xena commented. "From what you've told me, that sounds exactly like something Scarab would do."

"So what are we waiting for then?" Tia demanded of the group. "The best way to protect the boy's mother is to take out Scarab and the others now. We know their location. It's as simple as stopping them before they have a chance to attack us."

"No," Xena said flatly. "We stick to the plan."

"Why?" the irate Tracker of the Gods pressed. "Although I don't like it, it was fine before we knew where the vermin were hiding. It would be a waste of time to follow it now."

"Waste of time or not, I say we are still going through with it. You don't _have_ to like it. I just expect you to follow it," Xena replied in a dangerous tone. "Remember just who asked whom for help." 

Tia glared at her but said nothing further.

"Bring me up to speed here," Miranda spoke up. "What's this plan you keep mentioning?"

Xena turned to her. "An idea Nefer-Tina came up with. Instead of waiting for them to find us, we get Velasca and Callisto to come exactly to where we want them."

"Sounds good," Miranda commented. "How do we do that?"

"We give them what they want. Velasca wants Presley. Callisto is more interested in you. The two of you together should be irresistible bait," Xena explained. "They'll come right to us."

"And, we'll be ready for them when they do. It's brilliant," Miranda smiled.

"Don't tell me," Xena waved her off, "it was all Nefer-Tina's idea. I just gave her some advice. She's got a good head on her shoulders."

"That's what I keep trying to tell her," Ja-Kal agreed. "She's a true asset to our team." 

Nefer-Tina looked at the ground, unused to such praise. It made her somewhat uncomfortable.

Out of the corner of her eye, Xena noticed Tia's fists tighten with rage.

"That still leaves Amanda out in the open," Kait put in. "The plan only deals with Callisto and Velasca. Scarab is left free to make a move that could involve her."

"That is not good," Armon observed.

"I think the best thing to do would be to tell her the truth and protect her as best we can," Gabrielle advised. "It's time she learns what's being going on with her own son for the past year and a half."

"Gabrielle's right," Ja-Kal agreed. "We initially did not want to involve the young prince's mother as a means of protecting her. Scarab's discovery of Rapses' identify changes everything."

"The problem will be convincing her to come with us," Nefer-Tina said. "I don't think 'hi, your son is the reborn spirit of an ancient Egyptian prince and the man who murdered him is still after him so you'd better come with me' will work too well." 

"She could always be removed by force," Tia suggested. "Then there would be no need to convince her of anything."

"Only as a last resort," Ja-Kal countered. "We want her to trust us as the guardians of her son. Kidnapping her would not be wise. The mother lion is always the most deadly when protecting her young."

"The best way to bring her here would be for Presley and one of his guardians to tell her what is going on," Xena told them. "I think she would believe it more easily if Presley told her himself. He has no reason to lie to his mother about something of this nature."

"I'll be the one to go with him," Nefer-Tina volunteered. "Amanda knows me from the opening at the museum and recognized me from all the times she's seen me with Presley. I'm the most logical choice."

"You?" Tia sneered. "Don't make me laugh! If I remember correctly, your skills at convincing people that you're telling the truth are somewhat lacking."

"Tia!" Ja-Kal said in a low voice. "That's enough!"

"Is it?" she questioned him.

"This is not the time or the place for this," he warned her. "Nefer-Tina is perfectly capable of handling this assignment. I'd expect no less of my second-in-command."

"Second-in-command?" Rath echoed, surprise in his voice. "Ja-Kal, why wasn't I informed of this?"

"Way to go, Nef!" Armon congratulated her.

Tia shrugged her shoulders. "It was your decision. Who am _I_ to question your judgment?" 

"Yes, it was my decision," Ja-Kal told her, ignoring the others. "As team leader, I chose who I believed was most suited for the position." He folded his arms. "You're here to do your job. Let me decide how best to do mine." 

Tia's eyes flashed angrily, but she held her tongue. Instead, she mock bowed and teleported away in a huff.

*** 

Nefer-Tina could not believe what had just happened. Ja-Kal had actually defended _her_ from Tia, his wife. That Tia had openly attacked her was not important. Ja-Kal had not only defended her, but had spoken up for her. No one had ever done that for her before. Ever.

She felt a hand land gently on her shoulder. "Are you all right?" Ja-Kal asked her quietly.

She looked up at him. "I'm fine," she told him. Their eyes met briefly. "Thank you."

"For what?" he asked, genuinely surprised. "For telling Tia that I believe you can do the job? I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. I thought we went over this the other night. Besides, you'd have done the same for me."

She looked away. "You're right, I would."

In an even lower voice, he asked, "Why didn't you tell me Tia was the one who turned you in?" 

She turned back to him in surprise. "How did you know?"

Instead of answering, he backed away and turned back to the assembled group. "We have a lot of work to do. I suggest we get started."

Out of the corner of her eye, Nefer-Tina saw Xena gesturing with her hands. She knew what the warrior was telling her to do. Could she? Now? It just didn't seem right, especially after what he had just done for her. 

Yet, when would be a better time? He had just proven to her again that he cared about her, standing up for her against his wife. And, there was some time before she would leave with Presley to get his mother. 

"Ja-Kal," she said, getting his attention.

He turned to her. 

No, she couldn't do this! Not now! She couldn't afford to risk losing his friendship now, not with Tia here. She needed his friendship more than ever. 

"Nothing," she said. "It can wait."

"Are you sure?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"Don't worry about it," she said lightly. "It wasn't anything important."

"All right, if you say so," he told her, the doubt clearly heard in his voice.

She turned away from him again and glanced over to where Xena was. 

Xena shook her head sadly.

*** 

Xena shook her head sadly at Nefer-Tina. The girl had let a perfect opportunity pass her by simply out of fear. Fear that was fruitless. It was very obvious that Ja-Kal felt the same way about Nefer-Tina as she did about him. The sooner she realized it, the sooner she could move on with her "life," so to speak.

Xena sensed rather than saw Tia appear behind her. "What do you want?"

"Don't play innocent with me," Tia growled in a low voice. "I saw what you tried to do. Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"Notice what?" Xena remarked casually. "I was just trying to help a friend."

"You stay out of this. It's none of your business," Tia retorted. 

"Oh, but I think it is," Xena told her. "You see, Nefer-Tina told me everything. I know what you did to her."

"Do you? And, what of it?" Tia said.

"Let's just say you're very lucky that I'm not here just to help you," Xena replied. "If we weren't on a mission, I would make you pay for all the pain and suffering you caused that innocent girl."

"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be here right now," Tia told her angrily. "The only reason I need you is because I can't stop Velasca and Callisto on my own. I suggest you try to remember that."

"I wouldn't dream of forgetting it," Xena returned. "You know how much I enjoy your company."

Tia gave her a look of disgust and left in a flash of light.

Chapter Twenty-Two:

Velasca materialized behind Callisto, who was crouched at the edge of a roof. The blonde goddess appeared to be intently watching the museum across the street. _Waiting for her precious relative, no doubt,_ Velasca snorted to herself.

Thanks to the modern wonders known as computers and the Internet, she had easily discovered the identity of Callisto's new plaything. The woman, named Miranda Larson, was, ironically, the head of the organization that had preserved and studied Gabrielle's scribblings. In a sense, Larson was responsible for Callisto and her being in the modern world.

In the course of her research, she had also learned the identity of the girl who had so eerily resembled Xena. Kaitlin Peters would be of great use to her. She was the key to keeping Callisto under control. Callisto wanted revenge on Xena's family? Peters was it. But, if Callisto ever wanted to get the opportunity to torment her, she would have to learn to follow orders. Specifically, Velasca's orders.

Since Callisto didn't seem to notice her arrival, Velasca decided to make herself known. "What do you think you're doing?"

"My job. What's it look like?" Callisto answered without turning around. "You've been standing there so long that I thought you would have figured it out by now."

"Your job is to distract the guardians while I grab the boy," Velasca reminded her. "Waiting for your long-lost family was never a part of the deal."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" Callisto replied. "Or are you just afraid that I'll get to the boy before you do."

Velasca laughed harshly. "Hardly. I _know_ you're not capable of that job."

"Oh, I'm _so_ hurt," Callisto told her sarcastically. "Why, I think I'd just like to go back to Hell right now."

"I can arrange that," Velasca said. "I'll just tell Scarab you had a pressing engagement back there that just couldn't wait."

"Yes, I'm sure that your boyfriend won't mind that you sent your best chance at getting the kid away," Callisto said. 

"My best chance?" Velasca questioned her. "And, how do you figure that?"

Callisto grinned. "Because I know where he is right now."

"Do you?"

"Oh, yes. He's in the museum as we speak. He's with my, how did you put it, long-lost family," Callisto told her.

"What?!" Velasca shouted angrily. "Why didn't you inform me that you had located him?"

"Didn't see the need. I'm not capable of catching him on my own, remember?" Callisto said sweetly. 

Velasca bit back the retort that was forming. "How long has he been in there?"

"Quite some time now," she informed her. "He and my sweet Miranda must be busy. I'm just waiting for them to come out."

"Well, now you don't have to wait alone," Velasca said. "I'm here to keep you company."

"I'm overwhelmed with joy," Callisto sarcastically replied. "Your loverboy must be busy this morning if you're spending your free time with me. Where is he today, anyway?"

"He had something to do," Velasca told her. "And, I'm only going to tell you this once. He is _not_ my lover. There is no love whatsoever involved in what we are doing."

"Could have fooled me," Callisto muttered under her breath.

"Want to say that to my face?" Velasca said, irritation evident in her entire bearing.

"Well, well, well," Callisto said instead of answering, "what have we here?"

"What are you babbling about now?" Velasca demanded to know.

"The guests of honors have arrived," Callisto joyfully told her. "And, they've brought along some friends!"

"Where? I don't-" Velasca started to say. "Oh, yes. I see them now."

Walking out from the strange structure attached to the museum was the boy, Larson, the female guardian, and a woman who appeared to be an older version of Peters. A woman who made Peters' resemblance to Xena pale in comparison. Hopefully, she'd be a more worthy adversary than the girl, though at that distance she looked a little out of shape.

Callisto was practically bursting with joy. "Oh, Xena, looks like you bred after all!" She turned to Velasca, grinning happily. "I know how much you want to be the one who brings the boy to the old man, so I'll distract the others while you grab him." 

_Fool_, Velasca thought, _you have no idea what I want_. "I really doubt you could hold even one of them off," she said. "Since it doesn't matter _who_ brings the boy in, I don't see why you should have all the fun. After all, I have some unfinished business with that poor excuse for a guardian there."

Callisto simply shrugged. "Suit yourself, but if the boy gets away, don't blame me. I'll be a little too busy to help you."

"Oh, he won't be getting away. Not this time."

*** 

"Mom's in store for a total shock when we get home," Presley said. "If this doesn't blow her mind, nothing will!"

"I'd be surprised if it didn't," Miranda agreed. "The only reason I didn't faint immediately upon walking onto the middle of a battlefield was the adrenaline rush!"

"Yeah, I guess chasing after Kait was pretty exciting," Nefer-Tina put in sarcastically.

"Ha-ha, very funny," Miranda answered. "You haven't known her as long as I have. Compared to some other stunts she's pulled, yesterday was nothing!"

Xena smiled. "Wonder where she gets it from?"

Before Miranda could comment, Xena came to a stop, putting her hand out to indicate silence.

"Trouble?" Nefer-Tina asked quietly, grabbing Presley's arm.

"You could say that," the Warrior Princess informed her. "We have company."

"Oh, great," Presley muttered. "Who is it?"

"You'll see," was all Xena said before whirling around, hand automatically going for her chakram, which was not there. "Can I help you ladies with something?"

Her three companions turned around in time to see Velasca and Callisto materialize.

"Ooh, you're good!" Callisto joyfully squealed. "The only other person I know who can do that is Xena!"

Velasca narrowed her eyes. "I see you've improved greatly since yesterday, Miss Peters. I'm impressed."

"Don't be," Xena told her.

"'Since yesterday'?" Callisto parroted. "Tsk, tsk, tsk! Velasca, _dear_, I think you've been holding out on me."

Velasca ignored her. "Now, you know why we're here. Just hand over the boy and save yourselves a lot of trouble. There will be plenty later."

"Actually, I'm in the mood for some now," Xena grinned. "Unfortunately, Presley here is late for dinner and his mother's worried. So, if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way."

"Yeah, what she said!" Presley added from the protective circle formed by his three defenders.

"Oh, and he doesn't seem to want to go with you either," Xena said. "I can't say I blame him."

"My patience is growing thin," Velasca stated in a low voice as she began to circumnavigate the human barrier surrounding the prince. "I'm not in the mood for games."

"Who ever said I was playing?" Xena remarked innocently.

Callisto snorted with laughter. "I must say, you talk exactly like her too. I think I'm beginning to like you."

"Funny, I don't like you at all," Xena told her.

"Now, now, there's no need to be cruel," Callisto admonished her. "Xena and I were quite close, you know."

"Really? That's not the way I heard it."

"Enough of this," Velasca said, stopping in front of Nefer-Tina. She smiled at the guardian. "I believe we have some unfinished business."

"Yeah, I still have to kick your tut," Nefer-Tina defiantly told her. 

Velasca laughed. "You seem to have a high opinion of yourself. What makes you _think_ that you could ever harm me?"

"She's breathing, isn't she?" Xena said.

Presley, Miranda, and Callisto snickered at the remark while Velasca finally lost her self control.

"I've just about had enough of you!" she angrily shouted. "I want you out of my sight!" A small flick of her wrist and Xena went flying backwards.

Using the distraction to her advantage, Nefer-Tina blurted, "Presley, Miranda, run!" 

"What?!" Velasca exclaimed, turning to see her quarry escaping. She whirled back to Nefer-Tina. "You'll pay for that!"

"I don't think so!" Nefer-Tina flung back. She wrapped her fingers around her amulet. "With the strength of Ra!"

*** 

Xena pushed herself off the ground and groaned. Apparently, Velasca's temper hadn't changed much in the past centuries. It had not taken much to set her off.

Her first instinctive act was to check the baby. Velasca had not thrown her very hard or far, but it was still enough to do damage. She placed a hand on her stomach and, much to her relief, felt a kick. 

A quick survey of the area showed Velasca and Nefer-Tina facing off while Callisto pursued the fleeing Presley and Miranda. Xena stood up and opened the purse still hanging from her shoulder. From inside the large bag, she produced her chakram. She then discarded her purse and took a running start.

A loud _whoosh_ was suddenly heard and five faces turned to see a round metal object fly through the air and bounce off several walls, street lamps, and cars.

"Ay-yi-yi-yi!!!"

Xena flipped several times, caught her chakram, and landed in front of Callisto, effectively ending her pursuit of Presley and Miranda.

"Hello, Callisto," Xena greeted her long-time enemy. "Recognize me yet?"

Callisto's eyes and smile widened simultaneously in pure joy. "Xena! It really _is_ you! You have no idea how _happy_ I am to see you!"

"You'd be surprised at the ideas I have," Xena replied. "You know, I'm a little insulted. Neither you nor Velasca knew that it was me. Am I that forgettable?"

"My goodness! Have I hurt your feelings?" Callisto asked in mock despair. "Well, excuse me! I didn't think you had any!"

"Didn't your mother ever teach you that it's rude to insult people?"

"She might have-if you hadn't killed her!"

"Well, allow me to teach you that lesson in her place," Xena told her. 

"Uh, uh, uh," Callisto disagreed. "We both know what a poor mother you are! Just ask Solan!"

Xena glared at her but didn't say a word.

Callisto smirked. "Hit a sore spot, did I? Oh, yes, poor sweet Solan. Good thing he died before he knew who his mother was, don't you agree? Having the Destroyer of Nations in your family isn't exactly an asset, is it?"

"Leave my son out of this," Xena growled.

"Why should I?" Callisto questioned. "I'm not the one who killed him."

*** 

"Give it up," Velasca told Nefer-Tina. "You can't stop me. None of you can."

"Maybe not," Nefer-Tina replied, dodging a kick, "but that doesn't mean we can't try." 

"That's fine with me," Velasca said. "I enjoy a challenge. Defeating the four of you will be quite satisfying."

"So, we're a challenge now?" Nefer-Tina asked, throwing a punch of her own. "I thought I was supposed to 'give it up'?"

Velasca laughed. "Maybe you have some of that spunk left after all. Let me put it this way. Of all the guardians, you seemed the one with the most potential to be a decent opponent. And, here I am, fighting you, and finding myself quite disappointed. That doesn't say much for your fellow guardians, does it?"

It was Nefer-Tina's turn to laugh. "Me? The most potential? You must be joking! What ever made you think that?"

"You are a woman," Velasca simply told her. "The closest this modern world has to an Amazon warrior."

"That's a first," she said. "If you weren't trying to kill me, I'd thank you for the compliment!"

"By all means," Velasca said, "don't let that stop you." She lunged forward to grab onto Nefer-Tina's arm.

Nefer-Tina flipped over the God of Chaos' head just in time. "Maybe later!"

*** 

Miranda shielded Presley behind her body. Xena had Callisto distracted for the time being and Nefer-Tina was similarly keeping Velasca occupied. However, they were stuck where they were. If they tried to make one move and get out of the area, either of the goddesses, probably both, would notice. They had, literally, no place to go.

"What should we do?" Presley asked her. 

"I don't know," Miranda answered. "I wish there was something we could do to help."

"Wait a minute!" Presley exclaimed, slapping his forehead. "What am I thinking? I have a way to 'phone' for help!"

"Well, do it now," Miranda urged him. "I don't think Xena and Nefer-Tina can hold them off much longer on their own."

Presley took hold of his amulet. "Guys, get your tuts out here! We are in major need of help!"

*** 

Callisto whirled around to see the boy shouting into the golden trinket hanging around his neck. She shook her head in disapproval. "Trying to call for more help are you? We can't have that now, can we?" She pointed her finger at the twosome and a flash of light surrounded them both. 

"I...can't...move!" Presley shouted.

Miranda groaned. "Neither can I! What's happening to us?"

Callisto grinned. "Now stay put!" she giggled. Another flick of her hand and Presley's amulet tore away from him and flew into her outstretched palm.

"What a pretty piece of jewelry," she said, admiring the rectangular gold object. 

Suddenly, a flame flared from her hand and engulfed the amulet, completely melting it. The liquid remains dripped to the ground.

"No!" Presley shouted in despair.

"Oops!" Callisto giggled again. "Was that important to you? I'm _so_ sorry!"

"Callisto!" Xena yelled. 

Velasca and Nefer-Tina broke off their own battle to see what the commotion was about.

Just at the moment, the other three guardians, Kait, Matt, and Gabrielle came racing out of the Sphinx. Tia appeared between Nefer-Tina and Velasca.

Callisto laughed happily again and turned to Xena. "As much as I'd love to stay and play some more, I simply have to run! See you soon, my sweet Xena!" There was another flash of flame and Callisto was gone. But, she was not the only one.

Miranda and Presley had vanished along with her. 

Chapter Twenty-Three:

Velasca screamed with rage as she watched Callisto vanish with Larson and the boy. What in Tartarus did she think she was doing? And, what made her even _think_ she could get away with it? No one double-crossed the God of Chaos! No one!

"Surrender, Velasca," Tia commanded. "You've lost."

Velasca laughed. "Lost? The game hasn't even begun! You, Tracker, are the one on the losing side." As Tia crossed her arms impatiently, Velasca turned to glare at Xena. "I don't know how you were brought here, but make no mistake. You won't stop me this time."

"I'm not the one making mistakes," Xena commented dryly," but thanks for the advice. I'll keep it in mind."

Velasca bit back a retort and, instead, put her eyes on the smaller woman standing next to Xena. "So nice to see you again as well, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle winced, but remained quiet. Despite her growing abilities as a warrior, she still felt helpless and afraid around her former competitor for the queenship of her Amazon tribe. 

"I'm going to ask you one more time," Tia intoned. "Surrender."

Instead of answering, Velasca laughed evilly and teleported away.

"Damn it!" Tia growled. She whirled around and faced Nefer-Tina, who had just powered down her armor. "You! This is _your_ fault!"

Nefer-Tina was taken aback by the sudden attack. "What?! M-my fault?!"

"What kind of guardian are you anyway?" Tia raged. "Not only did you let your enemies escape with your charge, but they took an innocent as well!"

"I-I..." Nefer-Tina faltered. 

"You nothing!" Tia cut her off.

"Tia!" Ja-Kal loudly broke in as he came over to them. "Leave her alone!"

"Why should I?" Tia demanded of him. "If it weren't for the sheer incompetence of your teammate over here, your prince would still be here. The same goes for your friend. Some second-in-command she is turning out to be!"

Nefer-Tina hung her head. Everything Tia said was true. It _was_ her fault. She was the one who told Presley and Miranda to run. Maybe if she hadn't, and they had stayed behind her, then...

Ja-Kal noticed Nefer-Tina's defeated expression. In her already depressed state, Tia's words had stung her deeper than they should. He knew better than anyone what Nefer-Tina was capable of. 

"What does that have to do with anything?" he questioned his former wife. "It could have been any of us out there. Rank wouldn't have made a difference. What happened, happened."

"Let me put it this way," Tia began, her anger increasing. "That boy was my best chance at catching them. Without him, we have no bait and they have no reason for coming out into the open. And, _she_ was the only one there whose sole job was to protect him!" 

"Your point being?" Xena interjected as she and Gabrielle came over to join them. She folded her arms as Tia whirled on her. "You still haven't mentioned how her rank affects any of this."

Tia smiled viciously. "Any half decent commander would never have made the mistake of leaving unarmed civilians unprotected."

It was Xena's turn to smile. "Really? And, what makes you so sure that's what actually happened? You weren't even here. I was."

"So, tell me, what happened?"

"First off, Callisto took the boy and woman, not Velasca. Nefer-Tina was distracting Velasca. _I_ was the one fighting Callisto," Xena explained. "If anyone is truly to blame for the kidnapping, it would be me."

Ja-Kal went over to Nefer-Tina and put his hand on her shoulder. He felt her shoulder tense under his hand, but she still did not look up. He turned back to Tia. "If you ever question my ability to chose a proper second-in-command again, I'll order my team to cease aiding you in your mission."

Tia's eyes flashed. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Yeah, I think he would," Xena agreed. "And, so would I."

Tia snorted at Xena's statement. "You have no choice in the matter. I asked you here. You're the one who owes _me_, remember?"

"Oh, I'll still owe you," Xena told her. "I just won't help you."

Before Tia could argue any further with either of them, the familiar sound of Rath's voice cut through the air.

"The amulet!" he cried. "It can't be! What sort of deceptive magic is this?"

Everyone turned to see what Rath was so upset about. The wizard was kneeling next to a puddle of yellowish liquid that appeared to be rapidly cooling. He was waving his tracking ankh above it back in forth. It was glowing brightly. 

"Rath, what is it?" Ja-Kal asked him.

He looked up, a distressed expression on his face. "The signal from young Rapses' amulet seems to be coming from this...puddle. I simply can't understand it. We all know that that vile Callisto kidnapped him. Why would its magic signature still be here?"

"Because that is the amulet," Xena spoke up. "Or, rather was."

"What?!" Rath questioned her. "What are you talking about?"

"Callisto grabbed it from around his neck after she heard him call for help with it," Xena explained. "She melted it down immediately to prevent Presley from trying again. That puddle your tracking device led you to is all that's left." She looked directly at Tia. "That's why she broke off her fight with me. She must have been planning to take him and Miranda herself the entire time. Callisto isn't the type to end a fight with me unless absolutely necessary."

"Impossible!" Rath sputtered. "I imbued that amulet with protective spells myself! It was designed to be indestructible! No fire on Earth is hot enough to melt it!"

"Your most powerful magic is nothing compared to the power of a goddess," Tia informed him. "I could have destroyed it just as easily myself."

"But...but," Rath was at a loss for words.

Suddenly, the sky grew dark as a thick layer of clouds moved in to block the sunshine. Heavy drops of rain began to fall upon the group. It was almost as if the weather was reflecting their mood.

"Everyone, back to the Sphinx," Ja-Kal ordered. "There's nothing more to be done here." He softly squeezed Nefer-Tina's shoulder. "Come on," he said quietly.

"No, you go ahead," she said, the first words she had spoken to anyone since Tia's merciless attack. At his questioning look, she said, "I'll be fine."

"You don't look fine," he told her evenly. 

She smiled tightly at him. "I'm a survivor. Trust me. By the way, thanks again. That's twice you've spoken up for me in one day."

"I'll do it as many times as I need to," he said. "Are you still sure you don't want me to wait for you?"

"The others need you more than I do. Now, go on."

He studied her face for a moment. Although she was smiling, her eyes told a different story. She was still very upset about what Tia had said despite his and Xena's defense of her. 

"All right," he finally agreed. "I'll see you inside."

After one last squeeze of her shoulder, he reluctantly walked away. He wished he had the luxury of forgetting about all other responsibilities so he could care for her. Ever since Tia had told him that their marriage had ended long ago, he had become more and more aware of his feelings for Nefer-Tina. How he longed to tell her...

But, as always, duty came first. With their prince in terrible danger and no means of locating him, everything else would have to wait. 

Especially matters of the heart.

*** 

Nefer-Tina watched him walk away. How could he be so kind to her after what she had done? She didn't understand. Not only had she failed the prince and the team, but, more importantly, she had failed _him_.

Tia's words echoed in her head and she realized the truth behind them. She was a failure. She did not deserve to be second-in-command.

She slowly began to walk towards the Sphinx.

*** 

Inside, as the rain pounded on the roof, the remaining members of the group gathered to discuss what to do next. The air was thick with depression and defeat. The loss of Presley and Miranda was deeply felt. It was a sad day for the guardians and their companions.

Kait and Matt sat close together, Matt's arm around Kait. They had both been shocked at the news of Miranda's capture and were trying to remain calm. Both seemed on the verge of tears but were unwilling to let them fall.

Xena was pacing the room. "Callisto is obviously planning something big. Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken Presley. We know why she wanted Miranda."

"Her obsession with her family," Kait bitterly said. 

"Exactly," Xena agreed. "But, what could she want Presley for?"

"Scarab won't like this at all," Ja-Kal said. "He doesn't tolerate failure, especially when it involves losing his immortality."

"What about the boy's mother?" Tia asked. "Don't forget why he went out into the open in the first place."

"We still need to bring her here," Gabrielle added. "She may be in even more danger than before."

"She also may alert the authorities if she doesn't hear from her son," Tia continued. "That would only worsen the situation."

"That only gives us twenty-four hours then," Matt said. 

"Why only twenty-four?" Armon wanted to know.

"According to the law," Kait explained, "a person must be missing a minimum of twenty-four hours, one day, before being declared 'officially' missing. It's dumb, I know, but at least it gives us some time to get her here."

"I'll go get her," Nefer-Tina said from the back of the room. She was leaning against the wall. "It was, after all, originally my assignment."

"Not in this weather you're not," Ja-Kal told her. "It's too dangerous to go driving in this heavy rain when it's dark. You'll wait until the morning."

"I'll go with you if you want," Gabrielle offered.

"That's okay," Nefer-Tina declined. "I'll be fine on my own. She knows me better than the rest of you. She's seen me with Presley enough."

"I think we're finished here," Xena told Ja-Kal. "We can't do any more until the morning."

"Matt, why don't you take Kait home now?" Gabrielle said. "I'll go with you."

"All right," Matt nodded. He stood up and pulled Kait with him. "Come on, let's go."

"We'll get Miranda back," Xena said. "I promise."

"I know you will," Kait smiled slightly. "You're family."

Xena smiled back. "Gabrielle, take care of them."

"Will do," Gabrielle nodded.

The three of them proceeded to exit the Sphinx, leaving the rest of the gloomy group alone with their thoughts.

*** 

Presley and Miranda found themselves roughly deposited in a very large and dark room. They still were immobilized by Callisto's blast.

Callisto appeared in a flash of flame across the room. 

"I hope you do enjoy your new accommodations. You two will be staying here quite a while," she giggled.

"Let us go, Callisto!" Miranda shouted. 

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Callisto said suddenly. With a wave of her hand, Miranda and Presley were released from the spell that held them still. Just as they tried to move, Callisto giggled again and said, "Have a seat!" She flipped her hand again and the two prisoners found themselves flung onto a large couch that they hadn't noticed before.

"What do you want with us?" Presley demanded to know. "I know Scarab isn't behind this."

"That stupid old man?" Callisto said. "Oh, please! He is more pathetic than Xena's Miss Goodie-Two-Shoes act. How he ever thinks he can rule the world is beyond me. But, he and Velasca can have it. I don't care!"

"So, then why did you capture us?" Miranda pressed. 

"My sweet, sweet Miranda," Callisto purred. "And, my dear little Presley. You two are the key to helping me finally destroy Xena and her family once and for all. They will suffer for all they have done to me and my family." She looked directly at Miranda. "I still want you to join me. Together, we would make an unstoppable team."

"Forget it! You and your ideas make me sick!" Miranda spat. "I'd rather die!"

Callisto just giggled. "Well, then. We'll just have to see if you get your wish, now won't we?"

With that said, the mad goddess teleported out of the room, leaving two very frightened prisoners in her wake.

  
  



	10. Chapter 24 to Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Four:

Nefer-Tina eased her body under the Jetcycle. Sleep had eluded her that night, so she decided to pass the time by doing some light maintenance work on all of the vehicles. It was something to do, at least. Anything was better than being trapped in her sarcophagus with nothing but her thoughts. 

Tia's words constantly circulated through her mind. Failure. Pathetic. Incompetent. They were all true, she knew. She _was_ a failure. It _was_ all her fault that Presley and Miranda were captured. It _had_ been a mistake for Ja-Kal to appoint her second-in-command. 

Ja-Kal. He was the one she had let down the most. He had been counting on her to protect Presley and Miranda and look what happened. As Tia said, some second-in command she had turned out to be. She was a fool to believe that she was even half as capable as he. He was probably so ashamed of her, despite his warm words of friendship. How could he not be? _She_ was ashamed of herself. 

If there had ever been the slightest chance of his feeling any love towards her, it was now gone. Besides, he had his _wife_ back now...

She was so lost in thought that she did not realize she was no longer alone until it was too late.

"I thought I'd find you alone in here," the malicious voice of Tia announced. "You always were one to run and hide from your problems."

Nefer-Tina was startled by the sound. A feeling of fear and dread washed over her as recognition set in. 

_Oh, no!_ she mentally cried. _Not here! Not now!_ She began to panic. What could she do? Where could she go? She had nowhere to run. Tia was not only a goddess, but Tracker for the Gods. It was impossible to hide from her. She was trapped.

"Come out from under there," Tia demanded coldly. "Or, are you too afraid to face me? Though I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case."

Nefer-Tina silently cursed herself as she began to shake. Tia knew how much she feared her. She had commented on it so many times back in Egypt. Why couldn't she just leave her alone? Why? 

She gathered as much of her slipping composure as she could before slowly pushing herself out from underneath the Jetcycle. Once she was clear of the underside of the vehicle, she stood up, and head down, faced Tia. "What do you want?"

Tia laughed. "Can't even bring yourself to look at me, can you? You're just as pathetic now as you were 3500 years ago. Not that I expected any less from you.

"But, back to the topic at hand. What do I want? I'm surprised you even have to ask that. I'm sure you remember how our last conversation was so rudely interrupted."

Nefer-Tina remained silent. How long would this torture session last, she wondered. There was no one around to rescue her this time. And, why should she be rescued? As painful as it was to hear, Tia was only telling her the truth. 

"Don't you have anything to say?" Tia questioned. "Not even a word in your own defense?

Silence was the only response Tia received.

"No? Your lack of protest seems rather out of character, don't you think?" Tia continued. "Where's the defiance that made your trial so amusing? Hmm? Or, are you expecting Ja-Kal to show up and save you again?"

Nefer-Tina's head shot up at the mention of her love's name.

"Ah, I see I finally struck a chord with you," Tia gloated. "I knew if I brought him up I would get your attention. I know you're still in love with him."

Nefer-Tina still refused to speak. The conversation she had been dreading since Tia's arrival had finally begun. There was no more avoiding it.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" Tia asked, coming closer. "I see the way you look at him. You're so obvious that it's disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Nefer-Tina began to back away from the advancing goddess. 

"Don't you know by now he'll never be yours? He's too good for you. Always has been, always will be. I'm the only one he's ever loved. What makes you _think_ he could ever love someone like you? Can you at least answer me that?"

Nefer-Tina was practically at the point of tears. Her backwards movement was halted as she bumped into the Jetcycle.

"No?" Tia inquired of her silent victim. "I didn't think so. I think you know how unworthy you are of him. It kills you, doesn't it? To know he'll never love you. Maybe that's why you still haven't told him after all this time. You know that a dirty little tramp like yourself is beneath him. 

"Of course, after your disastrous little performance today, I don't think he'll even be your friend anymore. Why he ever was is beyond me. You're such a pathetic excuse for a human being."

Nefer-Tina, by this time, had moved around the Jetcycle and had almost reached the rear wall. 

"In fact, I believe the only reason he was defending you is because he's still mad at me for explaining a few things to him," Tia went on. "Including the truth about you."

Nefer-Tina almost gasped, but she didn't. How much had Tia revealed to Ja-Kal of things he was never meant to know? The edited version she had told him that night at the restaurant had left out Tia's involvement completely. What had she told him?

"Oh, don't worry," Tia purred. "He only knows what I thought he should. Your ridiculous crush on him remains our little secret. For now." 

Nefer-Tina backed into the wall. There was nowhere else to go. 

"But, no matter what happens, I still win." 

*** 

Ja-Kal pushed open the lid of his sarcophagus and stepped out. He had been resting fitfully for the past few hours, never quite falling asleep. He finally decided to get up and do something. It was better than letting himself think about the events of the past day.

Their prince had been kidnapped by a mad goddess and taken to the gods-know-where. The amulet had been destroyed, leaving them no way of finding his location. Miranda, an innocent in all of this, had been taken as well because of Callisto's obsession with her family. And, the one he cared about most had been hurt by someone he thought he once knew...

Of everything that had occurred, Tia's constant torment of Nefer-Tina stood out the most in his mind. Every time Tia said something to hurt Nefer-Tina, it pained him as well. Nefer-Tina was the kindest, most wonderful person he knew. To see her tormented like that broke his heart. He would keep on defending her against Tia as long as it needed to be done.

Although Tia had given him her reasons for her pathological hatred of Nefer-Tina, certain things still didn't make sense. For example, why had Tia taken it upon herself to find out the identity of the "slut" who had gotten herself pregnant and been so determined to turn her in to the pharaoh? The hatred she directed at Nefer-Tina went far beyond mere disgust at an immoral act. Something was definitely missing from her story.

Nefer-Tina had also kept Tia's role in the entire incident hidden from him. Why? To protect him from learning about the cruelty his wife was capable of? And, like Tia's hatred, Nefer-Tina's fear seemed more extreme than it should be for a one-time incident. Both women were hiding something from him. Something crucial to the entire situation...

Finally, he decided to go work out in the exercise room. Maybe lifting some weights would take his mind off of things for a while. 

The hall to the exercise room took him past the garage. As he grew nearer to that particular area of the Sphinx, he heard a voice. A familiar voice that was speaking in an incredibly hate-filled tone.

Tia.

And, if Tia was talking in that fashion...

_Oh, please don't let her be the one she's talking to_, Ja-Kal silently prayed. Using the stealth that had made him such an excellent hunter, he edged as close to the doorway as possible and gazed in.

Just as he suspected, Tia's victim was Nefer-Tina. Tia had backed the frightened woman into a corner and was saying terrible things to her. Even from his distance, Ja-Kal could see that Nefer-Tina was shaking terribly and on the verge of tears. However, she was not saying one word in her own defense. 

He listened to Tia's abusive words and couldn't believe what he was hearing. Everything began to fall into place now. Tia's hatred. Nefer-Tina's fear. It was all because Nefer-Tina was in love with _him_. Him!

It was too much to take in at once. Not only was Nefer-Tina in love with him now, but she had been since before they died. Even before she had come back to the palace as Nefer. Before the rape...

Ja-Kal suddenly felt terrible. All this time, he had been fighting his feelings for Nefer-Tina. At first, it had been out of loyalty to his long-lost family. Now, after learning of Tia's true nature, it was because he didn't think she could ever feel the same way about him. And, then there was always their duty...

But, _she_ did love him. Nefer-Tina truly loved him and had suffered greatly because of it. And, _he_ loved her.

_I love her_, he finally admitted to himself. _I love her more than anything_.

It was time to tell her.

However, as he was about to go in there and put an end to Nefer-Tina's suffering, a strong hand gripped his arm. Startled, he turned to see Xena holding him back.

"Let-" he started to protest.

Xena shook her head. "No. Let them finish."

"What?!" Ja-Kal couldn't believe what Xena had just said. "Can't you see the pain she's in? I'm getting her out of there."

Xena's grip tightened. "If you love her, you won't interfere."

"How-?!" Ja-Kal was startled. 

Xena smiled tightly. "I could tell from the second I saw the two of you together." She became serious again. "Look, if you don't let this play out now, Tia will keep trying to corner her until it does. You can't always be there to protect her."

"I never knew," he said quietly, shaking his head. "By the gods, I never knew. This is all my fault."

Xena loosened her hold on his arm. "You can't blame yourself. Tia did a fine job keeping the two of you apart on her own.

"Just be here for her when it's over. She'll need your love more than ever."

Ja-Kal nodded his head and continued watching his former love tear apart his true one.

*** 

Nefer-Tina just stood against the wall and let Tia continue. Why should she bother fighting it? It was only the truth. Tia had never once lied to her. She was everything Tia said she was. Perhaps even worse.

Suddenly, Tia stopped talking and turned away. Nefer-Tina, who had been looking off to the side instead of looking at Tia, turned her face to see what was happening. Tia had walked over to where the Jetcycle was and was standing in front of the dormant vehicle. She did not look at Nefer-Tina once.

Tentatively, Nefer-Tina stepped away from the wall. Was it possible to slip out without Tia noticing? she wondered. _No_, she firmly reminded herself. Even before she was a goddess, Tia had been impossible to avoid. No matter where Nefer-Tina had gone in the palace or the city, Tia had always been there.

"Are you finished?" Nefer-Tina asked, her voice trembling.

Tia waved her hand. "If you wish me to be."

Nefer-Tina nodded even though Tia could not see her and began to walk out of the room.

"But, don't you want to know about your son?" Tia asked as she turned around to watch the younger woman leave.

Nefer-Tina froze. Son?! She turned around to face Tia. "My...son?"

"Yes, the child you bore all those years ago," Tia said. "It was a boy."

"But-but, how did you know?" Nefer-Tina couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Stupid fool, I was there. Who do you think ordered the priestesses to take him away from you as soon as he was born?" Tia told her. "Did you think I didn't know where you were hiding after Amenhotep banished you?"

Nefer-Tina just stared at the menacing goddess. A boy. A son. _Her_ son. She had had a son.

"Maybe I should start at the beginning," Tia decided. "In a way, I'm the reason you got pregnant in the first place. Though, what happened wasn't exactly what I wanted. Arakh never was too good at taking orders from anyone."

"Arakh? Isn't he..." Nefer-Tina couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. Oh, no. No. It couldn't be true...

Tia smiled. "Yes, Arakh. Ja-Kal's baby brother. You knew him?" 

"I've only met him once," Nefer-Tina barely whispered. _And, his son_...

"Well, Arakh and I were quite close," Tia told her. "He wanted to be more than friends and was especially hurt when I chose his brother over him. But, as I kept telling him, we were too much alike to ever get involved romantically.

"We remained good friends, of course. I would do anything for him and he would do the same for me. So, when I told him of this troublesome young palace musician that was annoying me to no end, he offered to help get rid of the problem. Namely, you.

"The only trouble was I couldn't tell him why I wanted to dispose of you. It would have caused more problems than it was worth. Arakh always had this stupid need to be better than Ja-Kal. If I had told him why I wanted to get rid of you, to keep you away from Ja-Kal, Arakh would not have been happy. Another woman chasing after his beloved and much-admired brother just would have been too much for his poor ego to take.

"So, I just told him that you had offended me and I wanted you gone. I didn't care how. Just as long as I never saw your face again."

"I told him about your late night walks. Oh, I knew all about those," Tia told Nefer-Tina, who had a shocked and surprised expression on her face. "There was nothing you could ever hide from me."

"The night Arakh chose to attack you, he and his 'girlfriend,' and I use the term loosely, were having a fight. This was the woman he took up with after I told him that he and I could never be together. Apparently, she was refusing to give him what he wanted, which is something I'm sure even _you_ can understand.

"Unfortunately for you, you are quite pretty. Very attractive, actually. So, he decided to take out his frustration and needs on you, effectively doing a better job than I could ever have asked him to. Though at the time, I was very upset with him when I found out. I had only expected him to scare you out of the city and the next day he tells me he had left you for dead. Though I know you don't believe me, I wasn't at the point of wishing you dead. Yet.

"Luckily for you, someone saved you because you were back the next morning. I wonder who it was. Do you know?"

Nefer-Tina shook her head numbly, her mind in complete shock over everything she was hearing. The attack had been planned; the rape not just a random act of violence. Her life had been ruined by the sheer jealousy of one hateful woman. It was too much to take in at once. Too much...

"But, that isn't important," Tia decided. "What's important is what you found out shortly after Arakh screwed you. That was all I needed to be rid of you for good. A few clever rumors spread around the city and palace and my work was done for me. The good pharaoh was supposed to make sure you never came back, which you did anyway.

"After you left, I had you watched so I would know every move you made. I was determined that your baby would grow up in a proper home. A tramp like you would have made an unfit mother, don't you agree? Whatever you did after that, I wouldn't care since you were never supposed to show your face around Memphis again at the risk of death. 

"In the meantime, while I waited for you to bear your bastard child, Arakh married his lover. In a strange twist of fate, it was discovered she could never bear children, which almost caused Arakh to leave her since he married only to produce heirs. I never told Arakh that he was the father of your baby. I only told him that you were the slut he was supposed to get rid of for me. The fact that you were pregnant by an 'unknown lover' only reinforced my version of the story I'd told him. 

"However, I did promise him that I would bring him a child for him to raise as his own. It was my way of paying him back for doing me the favor concerning you. Ironically, the child I gave him was actually his. His child by you. Funny how things have a strange way of working out in the end, isn't it?"

Nefer-Tina's mind was racing. When Scarab had brought Arakh back as a mummy all those months ago, he had brought back his son. His _only_ son...

She cried out and sank to her knees. Her hands flew up to cover her face. Kimas! Kimas was her son! 

And, Ja-Kal's nephew.

Tia came over to Nefer-Tina and circled her. "I take it you've met Kimas? He was a charming little boy when I last saw him. Took after his father mostly. He had quite the nasty streak in him though."

"Kimas..." Nefer-Tina repeated as if she couldn't believe it. "My son...my son..."

"For two years you were gone," Tia continued. "Out of my hair. Ja-Kal never knew about you and all the trouble you caused me, which is the way I wanted it. And, when he finally married me, life seemed perfect. Then, you had to come back.

"You came back and ruined everything," she continued. "The day the four guardians of Rapses were appointed was the day I began to hate you to the point of wanting you dead. It was the day Ja-Kal finally met you. 

"Even as a man, you kept him from me. It was always 'Nefer this' and 'Nefer that.' It was as if his friendship with you was more important than his marriage to me! It was bad enough his duties to the prince always kept him away. But, what did he do with his free time? Huh? He spent it with you! You, who he believed to be his friend. You, who did nothing but lie to him. 

"The only small solace I had was knowing that I could get rid of you whenever I wanted. All I had to do was tell the pharaoh who his precious charioteer really was and you'd be gone. All you had to do to make that happen was look at Ja-Kal wrong. 

"Oh, how I wanted you to. I waited for you to give up everything just to tell him how much you loved him. I wanted to see the look of disgust on his face when you did. It would have crushed him to be betrayed like that by the one he considered his best friend. And, I would have been there waiting to comfort him.

"But, you never did." Tia gave a little laugh. "In fact, it was my fault you didn't. You were so afraid of me that you would do anything I told you to just to protect yourself from me. 

"Even on the day that Scarab killed the prince, Ja-Kal, and the other guardians, I couldn't be rid of you. You were still alive. And, if that wasn't enough, the way you were found made things worse.

"How you found the strength to crawl over to Ja-Kal's body, I'll never know, but the search party told me how you were clutching him in your arms. That was the final straw.

"When the royal physician informed Amenhotep that you would make a full recovery, I had to do something. It wouldn't have been fair for the young prince to be deprived of one of his guardians in the afterlife, would it? As my last act in the service to my pharaoh, I made sure you joined him.

"No one ever figured out why you didn't get better. Your death was quite the shock. Amenhotep was even prepared to give you a full pardon for your past crimes, including impersonating a man. The slow acting poison you were receiving in your water did its job and none were the wiser. 

"I was finally free of you," Tia finished. "Until now. I never stopped hating you for what you did to me. I still do.

"I'm done now," Tia told her. "I think I've said everything that needed to be said."

*** 

Ja-Kal couldn't find the words to describe what he was feeling at that moment. The story of the casual cruelty and violence he just heard sickened him. What Tia had done to a poor innocent girl was unforgivable. To think that he had ever loved her made him feel even sicker inside.

_Oh, Nefer-Tina_, he thought, _how can I ever make up for all the suffering I have caused you?_

Xena was wrong about it not being his fault. Of course, it was his fault! How could it not be? If he had not fallen in love with Tia, she would have never come with him to Memphis when he was appointed to the elite Royal Hunt. Nefer-Tina would never have seen him and fallen in love with him. Tia would not have been there to punish her for her feelings. His own brother would have never beaten and raped her at Tia's whim.

That was the worst part of it. His beloved nephew Kimas was the son of the woman he loved. Nefer-Tina had only briefly met him when Scarab resurrected both him and his father. 

Now that he thought about it, she had immediately bonded with the boy upon meeting him. Subconsciously, she must have known who he was. 

In a way, it was a blessing she hadn't known that he was her child then because of what happened. Kimas had, until the very end, been doing the evil bidding of his father. Finally, in the last few moments of the time he spent in the modern world, he had overcome his dark side and fought against Arakh. And, in doing so, returned beyond the Western Gate, never to come back. If Nefer-Tina had known and lost him for the second time...

Back in the garage, Nefer-Tina finally got up off the floor. She began to walk out, to escape Tia. She was headed right for him, but her eyes were on the ground. She did not see him there until it was too late.

Nefer-Tina, not watching where she was going, bumped straight into him. When she looked up to see what had happened, her eyes went wide with fear and surprise. She backed away from him, shaking her head furiously.

"Oh, no. Oh, no," she repeated over and over in a low voice.

"Nefer-Tina, I-" he began to say.

"You heard...everything?" she finally managed to get out. The tears began to fall.

"Yes."

She let out a strangled cry and bolted past him.

"Nefer-Tina, wait!" he called desperately after her.

He felt Xena's hand on his shoulder from behind. "Go ahead. It's time to comfort her."

Wordlessly, he nodded and sprinted after her. He quickly spotted her ahead of him and followed her. 

As he watched, Nefer-Tina raced out the front door of the Sphinx and into the rainy night.

Chapter Twenty-Five:

Tia glared at Xena through the doorway. "I thought I made myself clear that this was none of your business."

"Oh, crystal," Xena confirmed. "I had nothing to do with it. Ja-Kal's been in love with her for a long time but didn't know how she felt about him. In fact, I'd say that if anyone is to blame for him finding out, it's _you_."

"What?!" Tia flared angrily. "How dare you say that to me!"

"Why not? It's true," Xena insisted. "Think about it. If you hadn't kept cornering Nefer-Tina like you had, he would never have become suspicious that something was going on. And now, thanks to you, he knows that she loves him as much as he loves her."

"Well, no matter," Tia finally said in a calmer tone. "Even if he does have feelings for the little tramp, I can assure you they will be short-lived. He will quickly come to realize how right I am about her. Then, I won't care anymore." Having said her piece, Tia teleported away in a flash of light.

Xena just shook her head. When Tia discovers how wrong she has been, there will be hell to pay. However, this time, Nefer-Tina will not have to face her alone.

Ja-Kal would be right there beside her. 

*** 

Ja-Kal burst out into the cold rain, his eyes frantically searching for Nefer-Tina. He hadn't been able to observe which direction she had gone off, and it was incredibly difficult to see. The night was dark and the heavy rain all but blotted out the glow from the street lamps. Finding Nefer-Tina would not be easy.

He began to sprint down the sidewalk, hoping for some sign of her. He knew she couldn't have gotten very far on foot in this weather. Already, he found his bandages had been soaked through to the skin by the heavy downpour and he was beginning to shiver. This was not a time to be outside, mummy or not. 

Finally, after about five minutes of searching, he found her. She was under a street lamp, seated on the wet ground. She was hugging her knees to her chest. In the light cast down on her by the lamp, he could see that her whole body was shaking. But, whether from tears or the cold, he could not tell.

_Oh, Nefer-Tina_, he thought sadly. _What have I done to you?_ _I've been such a fool._

He silently approached her, terrified of frightening her off with even the slightest sound. He did not know how she'd react when she saw him. The things Tia had done to her... All because of _him_. 

Nefer-Tina did not even see him approach. Her eyes were cast down to the ground as she sobbed.

Ja-Kal crouched down until he was level with her and reached out with one hand. Gently, he cupped her chin and titled her face up towards his. She continued to look down as she was unaware of his presence. Her beautiful face was mottled with a mixture of rain and tears. Her long hair was plastered to her head and body from the heavy downpour. 

"Nefer-Tina," he said softly, "please. Look at me."

The sound of his voice shook her out of her private misery and she suddenly became aware that she was not alone. Her eyes turned upwards and an expression of panic came over her face as she saw him. She pulled away from his touch and stood up so fast it almost knocked him over.

He stood up slowly and tried to meet her gaze, but she turned away from him, leaving only her back towards him. 

"Please, just go away," she begged him quietly. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" was all he could think of to say. 

"I...just couldn't," she told him sadly. "I never wanted to hurt you. Now, go, please."

"Hurt me? How?" Ja-Kal prodding, ignoring her pleas to be left alone. That was the one thing he was not going to do. "You could never hurt me."

She laughed softly. "Stop being so damn nice to me. You're making this harder than it should be."

"Harder?" he repeated. "I don't understand."

She sighed heavily. "You heard everything Tia said. It's all true, every word of it." 

"I know," he told her. "By the gods, I know. I'm so sorry."

She turned to face him, a confused look on her face. "You're sorry? Why are you sorry? You had nothing to do with what happened."

"You're wrong," he disagreed. "If anyone is to blame, it's me. If I hadn't accepted the pharaoh's invitation to join..."

"I don't get you," she cut him off. "After hearing everything I've done, how can you just stand there and still treat me as if nothing's changed between us? Act as if I did nothing wrong? For Ra's sake, Ja-Kal, you just found out that I'm in love with you!" 

Ja-Kal did not know how to respond to that. Nothing he was saying seemed to be getting through to her. All the lies that Tia had told her were thoroughly entrenched into her psyche. If he just blurted out that he was in love with her as well, it could hurt her even worse. 

In a way, he was more responsible than Tia for Nefer-Tina's prolonged suffering into this world. He had been so blind to her feelings for him. If only he had known Tia's true nature sooner. His devotion to his family had kept him from following his heart for so long...

After a few moments of silence on both of their parts, Nefer-Tina finally spoke again. "You asked why I didn't tell you? When did I ever have a chance?" she replied bitterly. "You have to understand, when I first saw you in Amenhotep's court, I was only sixteen years old. In that first glance, I felt something so strong that it almost scared me. I had no clue what it was, but I liked it. A lot. So, being too young to know any better, I developed a crush on you.

"But, Tia happened to be there that day as well. She noticed the way I was looking at you and misinterpreted it. She thought...she thought..." she trailed off, turning away from him again.

"Gods, I knew even then that it was impossible for someone like you to even consider someone like me," she continued instead. "You were a member of the Royal Hunt while I was nothing but a lowly court musician. Tia must have loved you incredibly to want to keep me away."

Ja-Kal almost interrupted her story to insist that Tia never loved him, but kept quiet. It was still not the right time to tell her.

"Tia began to harass me at every possible moment," Nefer-Tina went on. "She would say things to me. Horrible, hurtful things. It was her way of making sure I never went near you.

"And, it worked. I was terrified to leave my bedchamber every morning because I knew she'd be waiting for me. However, my feelings for you never went away. In fact, they continued to grow...

"Anyway, remember the walks I told you about? They were my only escape from her. I had no idea that she even knew about them..."

Ja-Kal resisted the urge to take her in his arms right then and there. He didn't want her to have to go through the pain of remembering again. Tia had already done a fine job making her do that tonight. But, again, he realized that if she didn't say it to him now, it would continue to haunt her. 

Nefer-Tina leaned heavily against the lamppost. "The rest you know. For two years, my love for you kept me going. I never dreamed I'd see you again. I had lost everything. My child. My innocence. My family. My...very identity. Nefer-Tina was nothing but a distant memory. Nefer, the charioteer, was all that was left.

"After that final race, when I found out that I had been chosen as one of the royal guardians to Prince Rapses, I almost ran away. I was so afraid that I'd be discovered. But, I didn't and I stayed. And, then, for the first time in two years, I saw you again.

"Of course, you didn't know me. In truth, I didn't even know you. I had fallen in love with someone I had seen from afar. A stranger whom I felt attracted to in a way that defied description. 

"Tia recognized me immediately. She flaunted repeatedly in my face the fact that you had married her. It was as if it was all a game to her. A contest that she had won. 

"She also saw that I was still in love with you after all that time and that enraged her more than anything. So, she began to threaten me again. And, this time, the threat was very real.

"But, through it all, you, of everyone, were the nicest to me. You became the friend I had never had. You accepted me with no questions asked. And, for that, I will always be grateful.

"So, you asked me why I never told you? It was because of our friendship," she finally told him. "You always told me how much you loved Tia, and later, your son with her. Even now, you still tell me how much you miss them. If I had told you that I was in love with you, you would have felt betrayed."

She finally turned around to face him again. "And, don't try to tell me you wouldn't have. I _know_ _you_, Ja-Kal. You have such a strong sense of loyalty and honesty. For me to turn around and tell you that I have been in love with you since I met you would have ended our friendship. You would have thought that I had used it to be near you."

"That-" he started to say."

She put out her hand to cover his mouth, shaking her head sadly. "Please, don't try to say anything you might later regret. I will always treasure the friendship we had. I know it's over now." She removed her hand. "I won't bother you ever again."

She turned away from him once more. "I-I'll leave the Sphinx. I'll find someplace else to stay. 

"I also resign my position of second-in-command. We both know that I don't deserve it. Rath will do a much better job than I ever could. 

"And, don't worry about me forgetting my duty. I'll still protect the prince. I just won't be around here anymore."

_No! No!_ he mentally cried. _You can't leave! Not now! Not ever!_ He had do to something! Anything! He couldn't let her go, especially like this.

In truth, he had never been a man of words. For him, actions were usually best. So, with no other options left, he did the only thing he could.

He reached out, grabbed Nefer-Tina by the arm, spun her around, and kissed her.

Nefer-Tina was totally taken by surprise. It took her a few seconds to realize what was happening. _He_ was kissing her! _Ja-Kal_ was actually kissing her! For a moment, she did not know how to respond. It almost didn't seem real at first, like a dream. Then, knowing deep in her heart that it was real, she began to kiss him back, putting everything she had into it. 

It was a kiss of passion. Of need. Of desire. But, mostly, it was nothing but love. A love so strong that it could not be broken by time or death. 

The world melted away around them. Neither felt the cold wind or rain any more. Nothing existed for them but each other and the love they shared. 

Fresh tears began to roll down Nefer-Tina's face. Tears not of sadness, but of pure joy. He loved her! He was _in_ love with _her_! How and when it had happened didn't matter. For the moment, all she cared about was that he loved her.

Finally, after an indeterminate amount of time, the two lovers separated. However, Ja-Kal still held Nefer-Tina tightly in his arms.

"I love you," he told her. "I've loved you for a very long time now. And, don't you ever doubt my feelings for you again. Do you understand me?"

She nodded stiffly and leaned against him heavily. "What about...?"

"Tia," he finished. "It's over between us. In a way, there never really was an 'us'."

Nefer-Tina looked up at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Don't worry about that now. The only thing that matters is you. Now, let's get you out of the rain." He lightly kissed her on the forehead. "Come on."

*** 

Before they even got inside, Ja-Kal lifted Nefer-Tina into his arms and carried her the rest of the way. She was weak from the emotional ordeal that she had been subjected to and didn't have the strength to walk on her own for very long.

He brought her directly to the bedroom and gently put her down on the bed. He sat down next to her. Again, he kissed her lightly, this time on the lips.

"You're safe now," he told her softly. "No one will ever hurt you again."

"Promise?" she asked in barely a whisper.

"With all my heart," he assured her. He then stood up. "Now, wait right here. I'll be right back."

"Wait," she said, sitting up. "Please, don't leave me alone."

He sat back down next to her, putting an arm around her. "I'm not leaving you for long," he told her. "I was just going to get both of us a few towels to dry off with. If you haven't noticed, we're both soaking wet."

"Wouldn't want to catch our death now, would we?" she quietly joked. She leaned against him.

He smiled down at her. "There's the old Nefer-Tina I've been looking for," he teased her. "Where have you been hiding?" He then grew serious again. "I love you."

"I love you too," she answered. _Gods, it felt good to finally say that_.

"Before I go, there's one other thing that I have to tell you," Ja-Kal said.

"What is it?" she asked, growing worried. She pulled away and looked at him directly.

He noticed the worried expression on her face and placed one hand lightly on her cheek. "Nefer-Tina, do you remember when you told me about the night you were raped? How after my...brother left you for dead, someone found you?" 

"Yes..." she answered cautiously.

He took both her hands in his. "And, how you never got to thank that person for saving your life?" She nodded, looking more puzzled than worried now. He smiled at her, "You already have, in more ways than you'll ever know."

She gasped, "You mean...?"

He nodded. "Yes. I wasn't sure myself until after you had already left the restaurant that night. I recognized your scars as soon as I saw them, but I couldn't place them."

"It was you all along," she said in amazement. "All these years... It was always you."

He squeezed her hands softly. "I had always wondered what happened to the girl after she left so suddenly. I searched for her that entire morning, fearing that she had been too weak to go very far," he continued, studying her face. "There had been something about her that made me want to protect her. I felt drawn to her. In fact, finding her had been entirely an accident.

"I wanted to know who had done such terrible things to one so young, so I could make him pay. But, she left without a word. And, finally, after years of not knowing her fate, I find her again. Only to discover I had never lost her at all."

"Ja-Kal," she barely whispered. "I-"

He silenced her by putting a finger to her lips. "You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know." She nodded and he removed his finger. "There's something else you need to know. That same night, while we were dancing, I nearly kissed you."

She smiled lovingly at him. "And, I almost kissed you."

It was his turn to look surprised. "I was so afraid of what would happen if I did. Mostly, I feared I'd lose your friendship. Even though I thought I was still married, that entire night, all I could think about was how I felt about you. As much as it hurts to admit it, I tried to fight it. But, on the dance floor, holding you so close, I just couldn't hold it back any longer." 

"I...thought the same thing," she softly told him. "I knew if I kissed you, you would never have forgiven me. We both thought you were married and for me to kiss you would have been an act of adultery. Your sense of honor would have never allowed that."

"I know," he told her. "But, then again, I may not have cared. My love for you is stronger than it ever was for Tia." He leaned over and kissed her deeply. When it was over, he said, "I feel connected to you in a way I can't explain."

"Soulmates," she murmured. 

"Yes," he agreed. "You're my soulmate. Somehow, I just know."

"Yes...," she said slowly. "It's like we always knew but we just never paid attention before. When I'm with you, I feel so whole, so complete."

He kissed her again and stroked her still-wet hair. He then stood up from the bed. "I better get those towels now."

She stiffly pushed herself off the bed and stood up in front of him. "Ja-Kal, wait. I-I still don't want to be alone. Let me come with you. Please."

He took her face in his hands. "You're not going anywhere. Look at yourself. You're too tired to move. I don't want you doing any more than necessary. You need your strength. I promise, I won't take long."

His hands dropped from her face and he took her fully into his arms again. "I only want to do what's best for you." He leaned down and kissed her deeply on the lips. The intensity of the kiss was the strongest he had ever experienced.

Nefer-Tina wrapped her arms around him, losing herself in the moment. 

As they kissed, Ja-Kal let his hands begin to roam down her body. They passed down her back and over her buttocks, pulling up her kilt until he reached the hem. 

Without thinking, Ja-Kal let one hand slowly begin to travel up the inside of her thigh. When he reached the point where her bandages ended and her bare skin began, Nefer-Tina let out a gasp and broke away from the kiss.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he apologized profusely when he realized what he had done. He removed his hand immediately. "I didn't mean... I wasn't thinking." He cursed himself. Where was his mind? Although his need to be with her completely was overpowering, he would never force her before she was ready.

For all intents and purposes, Nefer-Tina was still a virgin. Although she had been raped and given birth to a child, sexually she was inexperienced. He would be her first time. But, only when she was ready for him. 

"It's all right," she told him, not releasing him from her arms. "Please...don't...stop."

He searched her face. "Are you sure? I don't want to force you if you're not ready."

She cast her eyes downward and leaned against his chest. "I-I'm not really that sure, I guess." She looked at him. "I'm frightened."

"I understand," he told her. "I know how badly you were hurt by my brother. I swear I would never hurt you. I'd give up my life first."

"I know you would," she smiled back up at him. "Thank you." 

They were both silent for a moment and they just held each other tightly. Finally, Nefer-Tina broke the silence. 

"Make love to me."

He silently nodded and kissed her. He again moved his hands down her body, this time completely aware of what he was doing. As he reached the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, he paused and pulled away from her lips.

"Are you really sure this is what you want?" he asked again, terrified of hurting her.

"Yes," she nodded. "This time I am. I want to know what it feels like to be a woman. And, I want it to be you who shows me."

"Just remember, any time you want me to stop, I will," he pressed.

"I know," she told him.

He pulled her back into the kiss and continued with his hand up her thigh. He felt her tremble slightly, but did not want to disobey her wishes. 

When he could go up no further, he deepened the kiss and introduced her to the first of many new pleasant sensations she would be experiencing that night. 

After he was sure she was ready for him to move on, he removed his hand and returned to holding her in both arms. They remained that way until they finished their kiss. 

As they separated once more, no words needed to be spoken. Their eyes locked, Ja-Kal moved in towards Nefer-Tina and slowly removed her amulet. Then, he took off his own. He then went over to the vanity and gently deposited them. He quickly returned to where he left her.

Ja-Kal took Nefer-Tina's left hand and turned it over so the inside of her wrist was facing up. As gently as possible, he found the end of her bandages and, slowly, began to unwrap them.

As he moved up her arm, he began to kiss each area of exposed flesh as he uncovered it. He looked up and saw that she was slightly smiling, starting to relax into what was happening. Finally, he succeeded in reaching her shoulder.

"Are you all right?" he asked. 

She nodded. "Yes. Please...keep going."

"Just remember, if you want me to stop, tell me," he repeated. At her nod, he took her other arm and repeated the same actions.

After he finished, he stepped back from her. "Your turn."

For a moment, she did not know what to do. Shyly, she then approached him and took his right hand in the same manner he had hers. As she began to work, he leaned down and kissed her hair. She smiled and kissed his palm as she unwrapped it.

Soon, both pairs of arms were free of the tight bandages. Nefer-Tina was amazed at how muscular Ja-Kal still was despite his undead state.

Now, it was his turn again. He took her hand and led her over to the bed. He motioned for her to sit down, causing her to become slightly nervous again.

He smiled and shook his head, telling her that it wasn't time for that just yet. She visibly relaxed. He guided her to the edge of the bed and sat her down, her legs dangling over the side. Slowly, he knelt down in front of her and waited for her permission. She nodded and waited for what was to come next. 

Ja-Kal ran his hand up her leg until her reached the same spot under her kilt where the bandages ended. This time, he repeated the same action he had done to both of her wrist bandages. In a steady manner, he started to unwind the bandage from around her upper thigh. Like with her arms before, he traced a trail of kisses down her leg as more and more skin was revealed. 

Nefer-Tina allowed herself to be lost in what she was feeling. She had never experienced anything like this before. Ja-Kal was so gentle and loving with her. And, patient. He would never push her into anything she didn't want to do. She knew that and loved him even more for it.

Soon, Ja-Kal finished her first leg and started the second. Nefer-Tina was impressed with his discretion as well. Despite several opportunities, his exploration of her body had not gone beyond his initial touching between her legs. All his energy was focused on undressing her and making her feel as comfortable as possible with what he was doing. Despite herself, she wished he had. What he had already given her had only increased her desire to have him touch her in places that no one had ever touched before... 

Then, it was her turn to take off his leg bandages. They switched places and she waited for his permission to start. He nodded and she went to work, her hand feeling up his powerful thigh until she found what she was looking for. The bandages easily began to unwrap and she quickly removed them from his first leg. His second one shortly followed.

Ja-Kal helped Nefer-Tina onto the edge of the bed where he proceeded to kiss her again. While they were still lip-locked, he raised them both to their feet.

Ja-Kal next found Nefer-Tina's midriff and fingered the loose edges of the bandages.

As he began to unwrap her upper torso, she began to get nervous again. 

"What is it?" he asked, breaking the kiss.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "It's just that..."

"Tell me."

"I've never had my body looked at before," she confessed. "I'm a little embarrassed and uncomfortable. That's all."

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," he assured her. "Remember, I've seen you already. All of you. And, you are very beautiful."

"I'm so ashamed," she said. "I wanted to do this so much and now I'm..."

"Shh," he calmed her. "It's all right. We'll stop. Just relax." He took her into his arms and just held her for a minute. When she was ready, he would continue and not a second sooner. And, if it wasn't tonight, he would wait until the next time she wanted to try.

Finally, she stirred and stepped away from him, raising her arms to the side. "I'm ready."

Wordlessly, he nodded and, with the same gentle touch as before, finished removing her upper bandages. 

Nefer-Tina quickly folded her arms to cover her exposed chest. 

Ja-Kal stepped closer to her and gently moved her arms away. He gazed at the beautiful woman before him and smiled. "You have nothing to be ashamed of," he told her. "You are truly beautiful."

She shyly smiled back. "Thank you. I appreciate that."

"I'm only telling you the truth," he assured her. "I have no need to lie to you." 

He moved to stand behind her and pushed her hair over her shoulders to reveal her back. The scars, now free of makeup, were visible in all their ugly glory. He now saw how extensive they truly were, in the exact same pattern he had stitched her up all those centuries ago. 

Each line went down from her shoulder on the diagonal to end under her breasts. As he had done before in the restaurant, he began to trace each one, this time able to follow it to where it terminated. 

Nefer-Tina could not get over how kind and patient Ja-Kal was being with her. She knew how difficult she was being. He deserved to be with someone so much better than her, but he had chosen her. He loved her. And, she loved him. And, that was all that really mattered to her. 

As he finished with her back, he turned her around to face him. It was her turn again. She reached up to finger one of the lose bandages dangling from his head wrappings. Raising herself onto her toes, she began to reveal his head. Soon, she could see the hair that matched her own in color. But, more importantly, she could see his entire face. 

Then, instead of starting at his waist, she continued to unwrap him in the downward fashion from his neck. Soon, they were only left wearing their kilts.

Nefer-Tina dryly gulped air, still unsure of what would happen once her kilt was removed. She remembered the pain of being entered during the rape and feared that the same pain would occur again. But, then, as she looked into Ja-Kal's eyes, she saw nothing but an all-consuming love for her. And, she knew, he would never purposely hurt her.

So, as their last act before consummating their newfound relationship, each removed the other's kilt. They gazed at each other's naked bodies, each a little unsure of themselves and each other.

As always, Ja-Kal knew what to do. He pulled her back into his arms and began to kiss her. This time, however, his kisses did not stop at the lips. They moved down her neck and onto her shoulders. Nefer-Tina let her body totally relax, trusting Ja-Kal completely. Every touch felt more wonderful than the one before. What they were doing felt so natural and so right. There was no shame in the activity whatsoever.

Finally, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. He gently laid her down and then crawled in next to her. 

"I want you so much," she whispered.

"I know," he whispered back. "As much as I want you."

He kissed her again and so began their night of lovemaking. 

*** 

When it was all over, Ja-Kal held Nefer-Tina against him tightly, his arms wrapped firmly around her. They laid in the spoon position, her back against his chest, both on their side.

"Thank you. Thank you," she kept whispering over and over, a contented look of happiness and love on her face.

He just continued to hold her, kissing her hair and basking in the warmth he felt from just being with her.

It was in this manner that they fell asleep and remained for the rest of the night.

  
(Author's note: Since the original posting of this story, I have rewritten most of chapter 25 because I was unsatisfied with the original one you have just read. The rewrite is rated NC-17 and is called "Amends". For those of you who are both interested and over the age of 18, it can be found on my personal website. Please see my profile for the link.)   


Chapter Twenty-Six:

Amanda put down her book and glanced anxiously at the phone. Why wasn't it ringing? Where was the call she should have gotten hours ago? A look at her watch told her it was time to start being very concerned.

It was after ten and Presley had not come home.

It wasn't like he'd never been home late before, but not like this. Even the night of the park incident he had been home before nine o'clock. And, never on a school night. 

_Stop worrying_, she tried telling herself. _It's not like he's alone! He's with a responsible adult._ Then again, was keeping a thirteen-year-old boy out late without checking in with his mother a responsible action?

Amanda had not known Dr. Miranda Larson for long, but she knew that she was a pretty reliable person. She and Miranda had collaborated over the phone for months preparing the Xena Scrolls exhibit. Miranda had kept every appointment and even made extra time in her busy schedule to help Amanda with any difficulty that had come up during the exhibit's preparation. So, when she had promised to have Presley home at a decent time, Amanda had believed her. So where was he?

She thought about trying Miranda's several phone numbers again, but knew it would be pointless. When she had tried to call twenty minutes earlier, she had not gotten any answers. They were not at Miranda's hotel or her office. Calling her young friend Kait had proved another dead end, since the woman wasn't home. And, because she didn't know the number or last name of her other friend, Matt, there was no way to call him. She was running out of options.

She thought about her other choices, but dreaded having to use them. The thought of calling every hospital within the city made her sick. She couldn't let herself believe Presley was hurt. Or worse. That was tantamount to giving up hope-and she _needed_ to believe that everything was all right.

The police would also be useless. Unless the individual was missing for twenty-four hours, there was nothing they would do. She had last seen Presley in her office that afternoon, around four o'clock. Six hours was hardly enough time to justify panicking, was it?

Restless, she rose from the couch and walked over to the window. The night was rainy and black, with the rainfall showing no sign of abating any time soon. Dangerous weather to be out in, for sure. 

She felt a tiny glimmer of hope. Maybe that was it. Miranda and Presley had gotten stuck somewhere in the storm with no way to get in touch. Since Miranda didn't have a cell phone that she knew of, it was likely they were riding out the storm in her car in a parking lot. Or, perhaps they were sitting in a store or restaurant, waiting for the weather to clear up...

As pleasant as all those scenarios were, deep down, she knew none of them to be true. Something was very wrong, she could just feel it. 

_Oh, Presley, honey, where are you?_ she silently cried.

Reluctantly, she pulled herself away from the window. There was nothing to see. The street had been devoid of any traffic for hours.

Amanda returned to the couch, resigned to wait until her son came home.

*** 

Miranda angrily paced the dark room that was her prison. How dare Callisto presume that she would help her! Just because that monster was a distant ancestor of hers didn't mean she owed her a thing! It was a ludicrous thought! Besides, the feud between her family and Xena's was long forgotten. In fact, the two families were quite close thanks to the work of Janice Covington and Melinda Pappas.

When Janice and Mel originally founded IAXS, one of their initial acts was to attempt to locate and contact as many descendants from the people mentioned in the Scrolls as possible. The Scrolls held pieces of their history and it was only right to share it with them. However, due to the primitive technology of the 1940s, the search was mostly unsuccessful. So, for over forty years, the project was kept on the back burner.

In 1986, that all changed. Enter Miranda Larson, college graduate. Miranda, as part of her personal plan to pay her way through graduate school, took an entry level position with IAXS. That job just happened to be in the department devoted to the descendant project. Within six months of joining the program, Miranda had taken over and revamped the entire operation.

Miranda was gifted with the abilities to be a good leader and organizer. She also had a passion for solving puzzles and mysteries, of which the program had been an excellent example. Her hard work and dedication paid off as the project soon began to flourish and produce results under her direction. Her success soon brought her to the attention of Janice and Mel. And, the rest, as they say, is history.

It was also during this period that she found out her "relationship" to Callisto. 

Miranda stopped her infuriated pacing for a moment to glance at her fellow prisoner. Presley was sleeping uncomfortably on the couch Callisto had so "thoughtfully" provided. She smiled sadly at the boy. The poor kid had tired himself out trying to convince her that they would be rescued at any time. His naive optimism had just about broken her heart. How could she tell him that they probably weren't coming?

It was too dark to read her watch, but Miranda had a fairly good idea of how long they'd been in there. Where was Callisto? She hadn't shown her face since she'd deposited the two of them in this room. What was she planning?

From what she'd gathered from the Scrolls, Callisto had had a single purpose in life: make Xena pay for what she'd done to Callisto's family. After she had accomplished that and not received the expected relief from her pain, she decided she wanted to cease existing. The real question was: which stage of her life was _this_ Callisto from? And, what burning desire was driving her now?

Callisto was also the type who made her intentions very clear. Keeping her in the dark like this, figuratively speaking, was very disconcerting. And, where did Presley fit into all this? Wasn't Callisto working for Scarab? Then again, since when did Callisto _ever_ work for anybody unless she was getting something out of it? Unless...

Another typical tactic of Callisto was to use the threat of harming innocents to get what she wanted from Xena. Hadn't Callisto raided whole villages just to attract Xena's attention? That must be it! Callisto was going to use Presley as a means of forcing her to help her get revenge on Xena's family!

Miranda had a cold, sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach. She was torn. Presley's safety was more important than her own, but if she were to join Callisto's mad quest, countless others would be harmed. What could she do? Either way, people would get hurt. 

She walked over to the couch where Presley moaned in his sleep. She dropped down next to him and pulled him up so that his head rested on her lap. She smoothed his hair.

"I hope you're right about Ja-Kal and crew coming to our rescue," Miranda said softly so as to not wake him. "Because if they're not, both of us are in a lot of trouble."

*** 

Velasca turned onto her side, contentedly resting in bed next to the snoring Scarab. The old man had worn himself out earlier that evening with the celebration of his imminent victory. Imminent because of his accidental discovery that turned things more in Velasca's favor than ever before.

Scarab's errand had involved his returning the Xena Scrolls to the museum from where he had stolen them. He had decided that he no longer needed them since he had gotten everything he wanted out of them. So, he had brought them back to the person in charge of the exhibit, Amanda Carnovan, a woman Scarab told Velasca he had worked with for years. While he was there, the very object of his quest, Prince Rapses, walked into the office and called Carnovan his mother. 

Rapses, better known as Presley Carnovan, had been sitting under his nose the entire time and he had never known it. 

Velasca had struggled to contain her amusement at the entire situation. Scarab was a bigger idiot than she had ever dreamed! He himself had told her that he had worked with the mother for years. How could he not have even known she had a son? Better yet, why hadn't he bothered trying to find out anything about her? What sort of warrior didn't make an effort to learn all she could about the people she interacted with? How else could she know who could be trusted and who could not? 

Scarab's incompetence disgusted her. How she longed for the day she could rid herself of him! 

Unfortunately, she still needed him for her plans of world domination. He knew this modern world while she did not. So, she'd let him do the hard work of establishing a new world order while she engaged in more enjoyable activities-like taking revenge on her fellow gods. Let Scarab think he was in control until the very last minute. Then, when she struck, he'd never know what hit him. And, the entire world would be hers. 

However, in the meantime, she had two main problems to contend with: Callisto and that damn Tracker of the Gods. Both were a major thorn in her side. Callisto's unforeseen double-cross acted as a huge roadblock, since the boy was the key to finally achieving her destiny. And, Tia's attempts to bring her back to Olympus, while entertaining to thwart, would waste precious time.

Of course, there was now Xena to deal with as well. As much as she despised Tia, it was the Warrior Princess she hated even more. Xena had caused more trouble for her than anybody. First, she had tried to stop her from becoming a god, and thankfully, failed. Then, Xena had kept her from destroying that other fake queen, Gabrielle. Of course, introducing her to Callisto had to be one of the _worst_ things Xena ever did to her. Finally, her encounters with Xena had seen her imprisoned twice. 

Taking her revenge on Xena would have to wait, she knew. Getting the boy to Scarab was top priority. Everything depended on his attaining immortality or whatever power the boy's spirit would give him. Without it, she could never hope to overthrow the other gods on her own. As much as she hated to admit it, she herself was not powerful enough. She needed the old fool. So, it was imperative that she got the boy back from that pathetic excuse for a god.

Luckily, that would be easy. From what she'd read about Callisto in the Scrolls, she was quite predictable once you knew how her mind worked. The only reason Callisto had been able to fool her was that she had not expected a double-cross. After all, Callisto was supposed to be longing for oblivion since she had found revenge to be an empty exercise. _More proof of her stupidity_, Velasca snorted. Too bad that Larson woman had to show up and foul things up. Now, Callisto was revenge-bent against Xena again. And, with Xena actually being around as well...

Well, it wouldn't matter much longer. Velasca smiled to herself. Scarab planned on going to the boy's home in the morning to capture him once and for all. The mother, of course, was expendable. The fact that the boy wasn't there would make no difference at all because, knowing Callisto, she'd show up to brag about how _she_ captured him. Then, she'd try to make a bargain with Scarab for possession of young Presley. A bargain anyone with half a mind knew they'd have no intention of keeping. And, while they were busy, she'd would take the time to destroy the mummy guardians and deal with the bitch Tia. 

It would be a glorious day.

*** 

Heka had a very bad feeling. Velasca was up to something. She could feel it in her scales. And, it could only mean bad news for Scarab.

Unfortunately, Scarab still wasn't listening to her. He was too infatuated with the comely Amazon goddess. And, he kept insisting that he knew perfectly well what he was doing. _Yeah, right_, Heka snorted. _The only thing he was doing was getting done_. When Velasca was through with him, she'd throw him away with the trash. What would it take to get him to see that he was being used. A blow to the head? On second thought...

Heka sighed. Scarab was too hard headed for his own good. He was always blind to danger until the last minute, which was why he was always beaten.

Unless he wised up soon, this defeat could very well be his last.

*** 

Tia reappeared in the main room of the Sphinx. She had calmed herself down greatly over the last few hours. Her hatred and anger were almost back under her control. Her time alone away from the Sphinx had helped.

Her mind kept flashing back to Artemis' words, telling her to keep her emotions under control. How right her mentor had been! Her pure hatred for the tramp was alienating the only people who could help her capture her quarry. None more than Ja-Kal, who she knew the best of all of them.

Although she no longer loved him, she still trusted him like no other. Ja-Kal was a skilled hunter and leader under whom any Amazon she knew would have been proud to serve. Without his help, she knew she'd never be able to stop both goddesses. And, unfortunately, she needed Xena's expertise as well. 

She decided the best thing to do was to smooth things over with Ja-Kal. He was most likely furious with her for attacking one of his teammates, no matter how much she deserved it. He was also still hurting from what she had told him the other night about their marriage. He had not understood how much she had truly loved him once. He had always been too pure-hearted for his own good and did not realize that not everyone saw the world as he did. Yes, she had fallen in love with him because of whom he was, but what did it matter? All that should matter was the love they had felt for each other, not the reasons behind it.

Tia closed her eyes and stretched out with her senses. Ja-Kal was very near. 

But, he was not alone. 

_No_, she thought angrily. _What was_ she _doing with him_? 

She remembered what Xena had said, that he was in love with the whore. It was a ridiculous thought. When would he have possibly had a chance to fall in love with a creature as despicable as that? And, why would he? After all, he was not the type to cheat on his spouse, separated by death or otherwise. Until last night, he had believed himself to still be married.

If anything, he was probably telling the tramp what a disgrace she was to his team. Tia smiled at that thought. She then teleported herself to Ja-Kal's location.

When she arrived, all the anger and hatred she had fought down returned with a vengeance.

Ja-Kal was lying in bed with-with _her_, neither one clad in a single bandage. Said bandages and their kilts laid strewn all over the floor of the room. 

There was no question of what they had done.

_How could he?_!, Tia raged. The girl was the scum of the earth and he had allowed himself to fall in love with her! Why? 

If it had been anyone else in that bed with him, she wouldn't have minded. Ja-Kal deserved to have some happiness. She knew how wonderful his love was. Any woman lucky enough to win his love would agree. But, _her_?! 

Tia left the room in a flash of light. She rematerialized outside in the pouring rain, which bounced off the small energy shield she had erected around herself. She fought down the disgust and hate she felt. 

Again, she thought of Artemis' words. This was the exact type of situation she had warned her about. She had to push it aside or it could cause her to fail in her mission. Her personal issues had no place here. 

Tia resolved to put away her anger for the duration of this mission. There could be no more distractions. She had a job to do.

And, she would let nothing stop her from completing it. 

  
  



	11. Chapter 27 to Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

Nefer-Tina woke up to find herself still being held. She smiled and leaned back against Ja-Kal. She couldn't believe it. He had stayed with her the entire night. 

She closed her eyes and thought back on the events of the night before. The confrontation that she had been dreading with Tia had finally taken place, and Ja-Kal had heard everything. Tia had held back nothing, including facts of which she herself was unaware. But, despite the horror that was her past, Ja-Kal had told her that he loved her; that he had loved her for a long time. He had even followed her out into a rainstorm to do so. 

What had she done to deserve someone so wonderful? She was a nothing, a lowly musician who had become a royal guardian by a twist of fate. She knew how unworthy of him she was. But, she did love him. She loved him more than anything, and nothing could ever change that. 

However, there was still the issue of her failure. Tia had been correct in everything she had said. Hurtful or not, it was all true. She _had_ let Callisto capture Presley and Miranda. Ja-Kal and Xena were just being kind when they had defended her against Tia. She was not fit to be a guardian anymore, especially not second-in-command of the team. Ja-Kal may love her, but that changed nothing. All the love in the universe could not undo her failure. 

She made a decision right then and there. She would stay at the Sphinx only for Ja-Kal, but she would not endanger the prince or anyone else ever again. She would give up her position as second-in-command. Rath was the one who should have gotten it in the first place. 

However, before she resigned, she would perform one last task in the capacity of second-in-command. Presley's mother still needed to be brought to the Sphinx. _She_ had volunteered, so she would go alone as planned. It wouldn't even make up a quarter of her unforgivable failure, but at least it was something. 

She gently broke free of Ja-Kal's embrace, careful not to wake him up. She softly kissed his forehead before climbing out of the bed. She loosely wrapped one of the sheets around her naked form. Then, as quickly and quietly as possible, she found and gathered her discarded bandages and kilt. When she had everything, she went over to the closet, which was roomy enough to maneuver about in, and shut the door, turning on the single light as she did so. She quickly rewrapped herself and put on her kilt. Finally, she grabbed a long coat, turned off the light, and pushed open the door.

She had one last item she had to retrieve before she could leave. She went over to the vanity where Ja-Kal had placed their two amulets. For a moment, she could swear there was a glow, but it faded as she got closer. But, when she picked her cat amulet up, it felt slightly warm. _That's strange_, she thought. She slipped the cord over her head and hoped her short stay in the sarcophagus last evening had been enough to recharge.

She looked at Ja-Kal's falcon amulet still lying there. For a brief moment, she entertained the possibility of leaving him a note, telling him of her plans, but decided against it. If he knew what she was doing, he would most likely run after her and insist on helping. As much as she appreciated his new protectiveness of her, it had no place on this mission. Besides, of all her son's guardians, Amanda knew her the best. She'd have a better chance of convincing her to come to the Sphinx if she was alone.

Nefer-Tina turned away from the vanity and silently moved towards the door. After taking one last look at the man she loved, she opened the door just enough to slip through. She eased her way out and shut it behind her.

She began to walk towards the garage.

*** 

A figure silently watched Nefer-Tina's quiet exit from the shadows. 

*** 

Amanda was roused from her sleep by the ringing of the doorbell. She sat up stiffly, her body sore from a night spent on the couch. She looked at her watch and saw that is was only seven in the morning. Who could possibly be at her door...?

_Presley_! she thought excitedly. She practically leaped off the couch and rushed to the door. She knew that she must have looked like a wreck from her restless night, but she didn't care. However, when she opened the door, she felt her spirits spiral down once more.

It was not her son at the door, but a woman.

"Ca-can I help you?" Amanda asked. Who in the world was this woman at her door and why was she here so early?

The woman smiled. "Ms. Carnovan, I'm not sure if you remember me, but we met at the opening last week."

All at once, Amanda shook off the last remnants of her disappointment. The woman at her door _did_ look familiar... Then, she remembered. "Miss...Niles, wasn't it?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Tina. I was with the friends of your associate Dr. Larson."

"That's right," Amanda said. "I remember you now." She gave Tina a strange look. "But, what on earth are you doing here? Do you realize what time it is?"

"Ms. Carnovan, I need to talk to you about your son, Presley," Tina said. 

"Presley?! My god, do you know where he is? Is he all right?" Amanda practically shouted. "What happened to him?"

"May I come in first?" Tina politely interrupted. "I think it would be better if you sat down to hear what I have to say."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Amanda stumbled. "Come in. Let me apologize in advance for the way my house looks. I was waiting up all night for Presley and-"

"There's no need to explain yourself, Ms. Carnovan," Tina cut her off again.

"Amanda, please."

Tina nodded. "Amanda."

Amanda led the woman into the house and got a good look at her for the first time. Tina's skin was a strange greyish-blue color and her hair was completely white. Either this was a new fashion trend among college-age adults or there was something very wrong with her. She also wore a long coat and the only foot covering she seemed to have was...bandages?

Amanda brought Tina to the den and motioned for her to have a seat. Tina sat down in the old easy chair and leaned back in it like she had sat in it many times. Which, of course, was impossible. Amanda sat down on the couch across from her.

"Where is my son? Why didn't he come home last night?" she asked anxiously.

Tina seemed to think about what to say for a moment before opening her mouth. "Do you believe in reincarnation, Amanda?"

Amanda was caught off guard by the question. "Reincarnation? What does that have to do with my son?"

"Everything," Tina told her. "Please, I only ask that you listen to what I have to say with an open mind."

"I don't understand," Amanda said. "Why would some New Age mumbo-jumbo have anything to do with Presley not coming home last night?"

"Presley is...special," Tina began. "His previous life is very much a part of this one."

"'His previous life'?" Amanda repeated. 

"Yes, thirty-five hundred years ago, there was a young Egyptian prince who was murdered when he was Presley's age. The prince, whose name was Rapses, was reborn as your son," Tina explained.

"That's all very interesting," Amanda broke in, "but, I don't really care who Presley _was_. All I care about is having him home with me safe and sound. So, can you tell me why he didn't come home last night or not?"

"Yes," Tina said sadly. "Presley's been...kidnapped."

"What?!" Amanda almost leapt off the couch. "Kidnapped?! How? Why?"

"Because of who he was," Tina told her. "As I said, his previous life is very important to his current one. The same evil man who killed Prince Rapses in Egypt is now after Presley."

Amanda looked at her strangely. "Excuse me? Are you telling me someone who was alive three thousand years ago is still around and after my son?"

"Yes..."

"Ha-ha! You had me going there for a minute," Amanda laughed. "Is Presley behind all this? I was worried sick and he's playing a joke on me! I bet he's sitting outside in your car laughing at the way his mother freaked out when he didn't come home. Kids today!" Amanda continued laughing until she realized that Tina was not laughing with her. In fact, she looked rather distraught. "I'm...right, aren't I? This is a joke?"

Tina looked down and didn't say a word.

"Tell me you're joking," Amanda begged. "This has to be a joke. It has to be!" When she didn't get an answer, her hands went to her mouth. "Oh, god! No!" She began to cry. "Presley..."

"I'm so sorry," Tina said sincerely. "It's all my fault. I was supposed to keep him safe and I failed."

Amanda took a deep breath to calm herself. "What does this...man...want with Presley? I mean, why did he kill that prince?"

"During the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep, the father of Rapses, there was a very powerful sorcerer by the name of Scarab. Scarab served as vizier to Amenhotep, but was not satisfied with being second best. He wanted to rule Egypt himself. Rapses was the only son and heir of Amenhotep. If anything were to happen to Amenhotep himself, Rapses would inherit the throne. Only if something happened to Rapses would Scarab become Pharaoh.

"As I mentioned before, Scarab was very powerful, but he was still mortal. He knew of ways to extend his life by stealing the life energy of other people. He intended to live forever.

"After he murdered Rapses, he was imprisoned for what was supposed to be the rest of his life. However, no one knew that he had absorbed enough life energies to live for several thousand years. Because of that, when the tomb that imprisoned him was opened in this time, he was able to escape.

"Soon after his release, Scarab discovered that there was a way to become immortal. All he had to do was absorb the spirit of a pharaoh and immortality would be his."

"Let me get this straight: this Scarab wants to absorb the spirit of my son because he was a prince in a former life and he believes it will make him immortal?"

"Yes," Tina confirmed. "And, once he's immortal, there would be no stopping him."

"And...what happens to Presley after his spirit is taken?"

"He'll die," Tina said softly.

"Oh, God, no," Amanda said.

"There's still a chance to save him," Tina told her. "I said Presley was kidnapped, but it wasn't by Scarab."

"What?! But, I thought-"

"Scarab wasn't working alone this time," Tina explained. "Unfortunately for him, one of his new-found assistants has her own agenda that not only involves Presley but Dr. Larson as well."

"Miranda's been taken too?" Amanda was shocked. It was all starting to make sense now. It was no wonder she couldn't get in touch with her. "Why?"

"While you were working on the exhibit, did you take any time to read the Xena Scrolls yourself?" At Amanda's nod, Tina continued, "What do you know about Callisto?"

"Callisto?" Amanda was incredulous. "Are you telling me that Callisto, a woman who is supposed to be dead, kidnapped my son and my colleague?" 

Tina nodded solemnly. "She was presumably brought forward in time."

Amanda stood up and began to pace. "This is so insane! I can't believe I'm sitting here and listening to this! This is the most ridiculous story I've ever heard." She stopped moving and turned to face Tina. "Yet...for some reason, I believe you."

"I have no reason to lie to you," Tina told her. "Please, I need you to come with me. You're in danger if you stay here."

Amanda looked at her. "Who are you? How do you know all of this?"

Tina stood up as well. "Prince Rapses wasn't the only one to die that day. He had four guardians who lost their lives trying to save his." She began to remove her coat. Underneath, she wore nothing but bandages and a strange skirt that appeared to be an Egyptian kilt. The skin of her exposed midriff was the same color as her face and hands.

"Jesus..."

"My name is Nefer-Tina," the woman introduced herself. "At the time of my death, a spell was cast to resurrect me in the event that my prince needed my protection once more. It was the same with the other three guardians. The four of us have been watching over Presley for over a year and a half now."

"Oh...my...god," Amanda breathed. "You're one of the...of the..."

"Mummies?" Nefer-Tina supplied helpfully. "Yes, I am a mummy. I've been dead for thirty-five hundred years. I understand that this is a little hard for you to accept."

"You have _no_ idea," Amanda agreed. "I have spent years studying artifacts from your time and trying to put together what life was like back then. In all my experience, I've never heard of anything like this. Living mummies, thirty-five hundred year old sorcerers, magic. It's all a little hard to believe."

"Are you ready? We really should go now," Nefer-Tina prompted. 

"Where are we going?"

"Someplace where you'll be safe, I promise."

"Will the others...?"

Nefer-Tina nodded. "My teammates will be there, yes. In fact, they don't know where I am."

"Why not?"

"I told you before, it's my fault Presley and Miranda got taken. I felt that it was my responsibility alone to..."

Amanda, who was hurrying to gather her purse, stopped to see why Nefer-Tina had trailed off mid-sentence. "What is it?"

"I thought I heard something..." She went to look out the window. "Oh, my Ra!"

Amanda hurried over to see what had startled her. "Holy shit, what are those things?"

"Shabties." Nefer-Tina put her hand on Amanda's arm. "We have to leave right now. Scarab's here."

"Scarab!" Amanda exclaimed. "Here? Why?"

"I don't know. Unless..."

"Unless what?!"

Nefer-Tina started pulling her away from the window. "Unless Scarab doesn't know Presley isn't here. He wasn't there when Callisto took him and Miranda. Velasca may not have told him."

"Velasca's here too? Isn't she...?" Suddenly, Amanda realized what had happened. "My god! Scarab stole the Scrolls, didn't he?"

"Yes. He's also the one who returned them to you," Nefer-Tina told her. "That's how he knows where you live. He saw Presley in your office."

"My office? But, that means-"

"No time to explain. We need to go. Now."

"Come on. There's a back door in the kitchen."

"Lead the way."

The two women ran towards the kitchen only to be knocked across the room by a shockwave as the entire front wall of the house exploded.

Scarab had arrived.

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

Nefer-Tina's entire body ached as she tried to move. She had been thrown rather far by the blast and deposited roughly on the ground. She had hit the floor so hard that she was surprised to find herself still conscious. 

She opened her eyes and looked around for Amanda. To her relief, the prince's mother was lying only a few feet away from her. She surveyed her location to determine exactly where she was. In an amazing streak of luck, the blast had landed the two women exactly where they wanted to be: in the kitchen.

She pushed herself onto her hands and knees and almost cried out at the sudden jolt of searing pain that shot up her right leg.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Amanda asked, concern in her voice. She had crawled over to Nefer-Tina upon coming to her senses and was now crouched beside her. 

"My leg," Nefer-Tina told her in a pain-filled voice. "I must have hurt it when I fell."

"Let me take a look," Amanda said. She moved around Nefer-Tina to get a better look. "Oh, god!" 

"What?" Nefer-Tina demanded to know. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not a doctor, but I'm pretty sure it's broken."

"Broken? Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Amanda told her. "It looks really bad."

"Great. Just great," Nefer-Tina muttered. "Help me up." 

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Amanda asked. 

"We'll never get out of here if I just sit around on my tut," Nefer-Tina told her. "Broken leg or not, we have to leave before Scarab finds us." 

"But," Amanda protested, "how can you walk on that leg?"

"The same way I always do," Nefer-Tina quipped. "Now, help me up."

Amanda ignored the joke. "This isn't funny. Those...things outside are probably already in the house. They could walk in here any minute."

"Let me worry about that," Nefer-Tina brushed her off. "Unless we leave now, they probably _will_ find us. So, are you going to help me to my feet or what?"

Amanda nodded and took both of Nefer-Tina's hands in her own. Pulling with all her might, she lifted the injured woman to her feet.

"Thanks," Nefer-Tina told her, as she leaned heavily against her.

"No-" Amanda started to say as a large figure appeared in the darkened kitchen doorway.

Nefer-Tina slapped a hand over Amanda's mouth as she started to scream and slammed them both against the wall. 

It was a shabtie. They were trapped. 

*** 

"Search the entire house! Find the prince and his mother and bring them to me! I want them unharmed!" Scarab ordered his shabties. 

He turned to Velasca who was standing by his side. "Our victory is nearly at hand, my dear. After all this time, immortality will finally be mine!"

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure of that if I were you," a familiar voice told him. In a flash of flame, Callisto appeared in front of him. "You can't get that spirit without the boy, now can you?"

"Callisto!" Scarab growled. "Where have you been? And, what in blazes are you talking about?"

"Dear, dear! It looks like your girlfriend's been keeping secrets from you too!" Callisto smirked. "_I_ have the boy."

"What?!" Scarab roared. "How dare you! The boy belongs to me!" He then whirled on Velasca. "You knew about this and you didn't tell me?"

Velasca shrugged. "I knew she'd show up. Besides, you still need to get the mother. We can't have her running around and causing trouble when her little boy doesn't come home."

Scarab smiled. "You, as always, are right. I'm sorry for ever doubting you."

Velasca caressed his cheek. "I know you are."

"Oh, please!" Callisto gagged. "You two are sickening!"

Scarab returned his attention to Callisto. "You will bring Rapses to me immediately! He is mine!"

"Really?" Callisto smirked. "I didn't see your name on him. In fact, if he belongs to anyone, it would be me. I captured him, you know. How's that saying go? Oh, yes. Finder's-"

"Enough of this!" Scarab yelled. "You know perfectly well what I mean! The only reason you are here is to get the boy for _me_! Remember our deal!"

"Deal? Deal? Oh, yes, deal!" Callisto began. "I remember it well. Unfortunately for you, your deal means nothing to me anymore, old man. Oblivion is the last thing on my mind right now."

"What use could you possibly have for the boy?" Scarab demanded of her, trying a different approach. "Thanks to my magic, you are already immortal again. The prince's spirit has no other properties."

"You think I want the spirit? Don't be ridiculous! You can have it!" she told him. "That is, after I finish with the boy himself. I have plans for the brat."

"Does this have anything to do with your relative?" Velasca spoke up. "Where does the boy fit into your revenge scheme against Xena?"

"Oh, you're smart! Very smart!" Callisto applauded her. "Why do I need the boy? Well, it's very simple. My dear sweet Miranda is not cooperating as I had hoped. She doesn't quite see things my way yet. So, I needed a little something with which to _persuade_ her. And, seeing how fond of the boy she is... Well, I think you can figure out the rest."

"That has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Velasca commented. "What sort of plan is that? How will threatening the boy convince her to join your cause?"

"Did I ask for your opinion? Hmm?" Callisto growled at Velasca.

"Velasca does have a point," Scarab told her. "You want....Miranda, is it, to...join your cause. Forcing her to help you won't get her to see your point of view. She'll only agree to help you in order to save the boy. What you really want to do is help her _understand_ why you _need_ to take revenge."

Callisto folded her arms. "And, what makes you so sure my way won't work?"

*** 

_This is going even better than I could have hoped_, Velasca smiled to herself. Both Scarab and Callisto were putting themselves exactly where she wanted them. Once Scarab had the boy, he would save her the effort of getting rid of the blonde pest. Callisto would be sent back to Hell to spend the rest of eternity. Unless, of course, she could find better ways of making Callisto suffer...

For a moment, she debated going to look for the mother herself, but decided that watching Scarab and Callisto argue was much more entertaining. She had concocted the story about the mother causing trouble for Scarab's benefit. Once Scarab had his immortality and they started to conquer the world, the authorities would be much too busy to even considering looking for one missing child. The mother's cries for help would be ignored.

*** 

In the kitchen, Nefer-Tina and Amanda heard every word of the exchange. The shabtie had moved out of the doorway a short time earlier, presumably to search other areas of the house.

"I need you to go to the Sphinx and tell the others what's happening," Nefer-Tina told Amanda.

"Sphinx? What are you talking about? I thought we were going together," Amanda asked, confused.

"Someone has to stay here and find out what they're planning," the guardian explained. "And, since it's too dangerous for you..."

"Oh, no," Amanda protested. "I can't leave you alone, not like this. You're hurt."

"Amanda, I need you to do this for me. Please," Nefer-Tina said. "It's more important that you get to safety. I'll be all right on my own."

"But-"

"No 'buts'," Nefer-Tina cut her off. "The Sphinx is exactly what it sounds like. It's the old Rapses' exhibit. You'll be able to get in through the main entrance. You'll find my teammates in there. 

"It's very important you tell them what has happened and that they are not to do anything until I return. I have a better chance of learning where Callisto is holding Presley if I'm alone. One person is less likely to get caught than a group of people."

"I know, but how can you follow them? Your leg is broken and you can hardly stand. How do you expect to walk?"

"I'll manage," Nefer-Tina insisted. "Now, go!"

"There's no way I can get you to change your mind, is there?" 

Nefer-Tina smiled tightly at her. "No, I'm afraid not. This is for the best."

"Then, here," Amanda said, reaching into her purse, "take this." She pressed a small item into Nefer-Tina's hand. "This is my cell phone. As soon as you learn anything, just dial the number taped to the back." She went over to a drawer and opened it. She reached in and pulled out an identical phone. "I bought this one as a spare or in case Presley ever wanted one. The number on the back of yours will ring this one. I'll keep mine on until I hear from you. Don't turn on yours until you're ready to call."

"Thank you," Nefer-Tina told her.

"You're welcome," Amanda responded.

"Get going," Nefer-Tina said. "I'll call as soon as I find anything out. I promise."

"All right," Amanda nodded. "I'll be waiting for that call." She turned away and quickly crossed the kitchen to the door, which she immediately disappeared through.

Nefer-Tina was on her own.

*** 

"So, do we have an agreement?" Scarab finally asked Callisto after several arguments back and forth.

Callisto, who had plopped down on the couch by now, appeared to think for a moment. "Let me get this straight. In exchange for the little brat, you'll help me 'enlighten' Miranda about the evil Xena has done to our family? And, this will convince her to help me? Is that everything?"

"Yes," Scarab nodded. 

"All right, old man. I accept your terms," Callisto grinned. "Now, how shall we do this? Do I bring him to you here or to your place?"

"I have an even better suggestion," Scarab said. "Why don't you just take us to where you are keeping him?"

"How stupid do you think I am?" Callisto inquired. "I need to have a little leverage in this arrangement. The location of your precious prince will remain my secret. A girl needs her privacy, you know!"

"Shall we shake on it?" Scarab suggested.

"Why not?" Callisto shrugged.

Callisto got up and Scarab walked across the room to meet her. The two erstwhile allies each extended their right hand and shook. Scarab patted her on the back before stepping away.

Callisto smirked at the gesture. "That was a little too friendly," she remarked. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you just put one of those tracking devices of yours on me."

Scarab folded his arms. "And, just how do you know about those?"

"I may not be from this time, but I do learn fast," Callisto told him. "Your place is so full of such wonderful teaching tools that I just couldn't help myself. Do you think I spent all my time searching for the brat?"

"If you don't trust me, why don't you check yourself for one?" Scarab smiled thinly.

Callisto smiled back. "We have a deal. I'm sure you wouldn't go and ruin it over such a little thing like trust. So, where shall I bring him? Here or the Pyramid?"

"Here," Scarab told her. "Once we find the mother, we can have her waiting to greet her son one last time. She can watch me remove the spirit that will bless me with immortality."

"Whatever," Callisto shrugged. "See you soon!" She giggled and disappeared in a burst of flames.

"Finally!" Scarab growled. "I don't know how much longer I could have kept myself from wringing her neck!" 

"Isn't she just a delight to talk to?" Velasca added sarcastically. "In a way, I almost feel sorry for Xena. Having _that_ relentlessly hunting you could be a fate worse than death. At least when we were trapped in the lava pit together, neither of us were aware of anything. Imagine being stuck with only _her_ to talk to."

Scarab laughed softly. "Not to worry. We'll be rid of her soon enough." From one of the numerous folds in his robes, he produced a tracking receiver. "Why wait here when we can just follow her and take the boy ourselves?"

The sound of approaching sirens filled the air.

"Blast it! The authorities are coming to investigate the explosion! We must leave immediately," Scarab told Velasca. "The mother will have to wait."

"The authorities will never believe her when she tries to explain what happened here," Velasca agreed. 

Scarab switched on the receiver. "Come, let us be off. Our destiny awaits us."

*** 

Nefer-Tina, as quickly as possible with an injured leg, exited through the back door and crept to the front of the house. She remained hidden behind some shrubbery as she watched Scarab and Velasca emerge through the blasted wall. Scarab pulled out yet another device and spoke swiftly into it. Almost immediately, a black limousine drove up to the house. Scarab and Velasca quickly climbed into it and the driver sped away as soon as the door was closed.

Nefer-Tina raced out of her hiding spot, biting back tears of pain. The Jetcycle was parked a few houses down from where Presley lived. She arrived at the vehicle and hopped on. She turned on the ignition and took off in the direction Scarab had gone.

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

Ja-Kal emerged from the bedroom, fully wrapped once more. He knew he had overslept, confirmed by the bustle of activity in the Sphinx. He was usually the first to awaken and he normally shunned the idea of sleeping late. Today, however, he was not bothered by it. After last night, he had needed it. What _did_ disturb him was the fact that he had woken up alone. 

He had no idea when Nefer-Tina had left him. She had fallen asleep in his arms and then he had drifted off to sleep himself. He remembered nothing after that. He had just assumed that she would be there with him in the morning. 

But, she hadn't been. She had disappeared from his arms without a trace, leaving nothing behind. Why? 

He let his gaze roam over the group currently occupying the Sphinx. Everyone except Nefer-Tina was there, including Kait and Matt. Tia was standing alone, looking strangely calm considering what had happened last night. All the same, he avoided eye contact with her. 

Suddenly, he had a terrible feeling that he knew where Nefer-Tina had gone. After they had come in out of the rain, neither of them had discussed any of the issues that were bothering her, especially her feelings of being a failure. He knew she wasn't, but she was convinced she was; that it was her fault that Callisto had taken Presley. When she had volunteered to bring Amanda in herself, he knew it was her way of trying to make it up to him; to show that she was worthy of remaining a guardian. And that was before she had known he was in love with her.

Now the stakes, in her eyes, had become even more personal. Ja-Kal knew with certainty that she had gone to get Amanda and that she was determined to bring her to them on her own. She wanted to prove herself worthy of his love, which she still felt she did not deserve. 

What would it take to convince her otherwise? He had no idea. All he knew was that he loved her, and that was the only thing that mattered to him. 

"Good morning, Ja-Kal," Rath greeted him as he came over. "Was your sarcophagus a bit uncomfortable last night? Sleeping in a bed seems to have agreed with you. You never sleep late."

Ja-Kal was shaken out of his private thoughts. "Uh, yes," he responded to his friend. "I had a late night."

"I should say so," Rath told him good-naturedly. "I remember when you used to wake us up at the crack of dawn for drills back in Egypt."

Ja-Kal had to smile at the memory. He knew he was a tough and demanding leader, but it got him the results he wanted. He remembered how "Nefer" seemed to hate them most of all. "He" had always arrived late to each one and Ja-Kal had punished the charioteer accordingly. Looking back, the reason Nefer-Tina had never gotten up as fast as the others was that she had had to put on her disguise before she could leave her room. And, she had taken her punishment each time without fail. Without complaint...

"Have you seen Nefer-Tina this morning?" he finally asked. 

Rath shook his head. "No. I assumed she was still sleeping as well. You know how she tends to sneak out at night and spend her time fraternizing with the people of this era." 

"She's not here." The two men turned to see Xena coming over to join them. "I saw her leave before seven. She took the Jetcycle."

"Where could she possibly be going at that hour?" Rath wondered out loud. "I believe that's too early for even _her_ usual shenanigans. Besides none of her favored dance halls are open then."

"I...think I may have an idea about where she went," Ja-Kal started. He looked at Xena. "And, I have a feeling that it may be my fault."

"The mother..." Xena nodded, understanding where he was going. "To prove that she's not a failure."

"What are you two going on about?" Rath wanted to know. "Is there something I haven't been told?"

"It's a long story," Ja-Kal told him, "but do you remember how Nefer-Tina volunteered to get the prince's mother by herself?"

"Yes," Rath nodded, "but I thought she was going to wait until later this morning. Why go so early? What difference would it make?"

"She had her reasons," Xena said, "but, in any case, she should have been back by now. She's been gone long enough to have had time to convince Amanda of the danger she was in and bring her back here."

"Something must have gone wrong," Ja-Kal decided. "They could be in danger. We need to go and find them immediately." 

By that time, the others had noticed their serious conversation and had drifted over.

"What's going on?" Kait asked. "Who do we have to go after?"

"Nefer-Tina and the prince's mother," Rath answered. "Nefer-Tina went to get Amanda herself and has not yet returned. We think she may be in trouble."

"We must save her!" Armon announced firmly.

Suddenly, the sound of running coming from the main entrance of the Sphinx caught their attention. To everyone's complete surprise, Amanda herself flew into the room.

"Nefer-Tina...trouble....Scarab..." she panted as she came up to them.

"What about Scarab?" Gabrielle asked her, leading her to the couch. 

Amanda tried to catch her breath before speaking. "He came to my home this morning with these stone creatures to...to capture Presley and myself. But, another woman appeared...Callisto...and told him that she had Presley. They made some sort of deal involving Presley. Nefer-Tina is following them to see if she can learn what they are planning and where Presley is."

"Is she all right?" Ja-Kal wanted to know. He knew there was panic in his voice, but at the moment, he did not care. Nefer-Tina's safety was more important that his image. 

"She has a broken leg," Amanda said, looking at him, "but, other than that, she seemed okay. Remember, I don't know her as well as you do. However, it kind of worried me the way she kept saying that it was her fault that Presley was captured. From what she told me, it sounded like an accident."

"Her fault? Why in the world would she think a ridiculous thing like that?" Rath spoke up. 

"Because someone told her it was," Xena answered him. She glanced at Tia, who had not said a word to anyone that entire morning. "And, Nefer-Tina believed it." She turned her attention back to Amanda. "I was there and it _was_ an accident. Nefer-Tina did her best to try and protect him."

"We have to go and find her," Ja-Kal said. "She's in no condition to be out in the field. Especially if she's injured."

"No," Amanda shook her head. "She specifically asked that none of you go after her. She felt she had a better chance of getting close enough to listen if she was alone." She removed the phone from her purse. "She promised to call as soon as she finds out anything important."

"Then I'll go alone," Ja-Kal announced. "She may be second-in-command of this team, but I'm still the leader. And, I say she shouldn't be alone out there."

Xena took hold of his arm. "I hate to say this, but Nefer-Tina is right. She's better off on her own in this one. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?!" Ja-Kal said. Then, he sighed heavily. "I just hope she knows what she's doing." He dropped his voice so only Xena could hear. "I don't think I could bear to lose her. Not now."

"I know," Xena told him just as quietly. "Believe me, I know." 

*** 

Miranda was pacing the room once again. Presley was awake and watching her from the couch.

"They're not coming, are they?" Presley finally said.

Presley's question took her by surprise and she stopped her movement. "I don't know, Presley." She went over to sit by him. "I really don't."

"I've never been held so long before, that's all," he said. "I mean, I've been kidnapped lots of times, but the guys always came within a couple hours. This is just really strange. But, they always had the amulet before to help find me. And, now it's gone." He looked up at her. "I'm really scared."

"Me too, honey," she said, pulling him into a hug, "me too."

"Isn't this a touching moment?" Callisto commented as she appeared in the room. "Too bad it has to end!

Miranda stood up. "What do you want now? I thought I already told you that I'd never help you."

Callisto laughed. "I'm sure you believe that now, but soon, you'll be begging me to accept your help." She reached over her shoulder and pulled off the small tracking device Scarab had placed on her. "But, let's not worry too much about that now, hmm? I'm expecting a couple of guests to arrive any minute and we must simply be ready to greet them!"

*** 

Heka was coiled up in the front seat of Scarab's limo. She couldn't stand the thought of sitting in the back with _those_ two. Like Callisto was fond of saying, they made her sick! All that sweet talk! Ick!

Suddenly, she heard Scarab shout from the backseat "Stop here!" The shabtie driving the car hit the brakes so hard that she went flying into the dashboard. She was so busy groaning that she did not notice the glass divider window slide open.

A strong hand grabbed her roughly and pulled her backwards. 

"Heka, see if you can find a way into that building and find out what Callisto is up to," Scarab ordered his assistant as he bodily dumped her out the passenger door window. "And, be quick about it!"

Heka peeled herself off the sidewalk, muttering under her breath. "Sure thing, boss," she said loud enough for him to hear.

This was starting to look like one of those days!

*** 

Nefer-Tina softly brought the Jetcycle to a halt. She had trailed Scarab's limo to what appeared to be a burned down apartment building. Was this Callisto's secret hideout where Presley was being held?

She dismounted from the Jetcycle and once again bit back a cry of pain. Her leg had not stopped throbbing since she had broken it. She did not know how much longer she could bear to keep standing and walking on it. She hoped the continued use had not worsened the breakage. 

For a moment she considered calling her armor, thinking the leg guard might add some much needed support to her leg. However, the added weight of the rest of the armor could counter any support it provided. And, since she didn't plan on getting into any fights, the armor was completely unnecessary for this mission. She would remain as she was. 

As she watched, she saw a long golden shape tossed out the limousine window. _Heka_, she noted to herself. Scarab, never one to put himself at risk unless absolutely necessary, usually sent someone else to do his dirty work. And, that someone, for the most part, was Heka. 

The serpent began to slither towards the main entrance and Nefer-Tina knew it had to be the place. It was time to call the others and let them know what she was doing.

She dreaded having to face Ja-Kal. He was probably worried sick over where she had gone, but he would have to understand why she had done this. She had had no other choice. It was the only way for her to try to make up to him for her failure. It was her gift to him.

She pulled out the cell phone and dialed the number on the back.

*** 

In the backseat of the limo, Velasca's enhanced hearing detected a strange beeping sound. It was coming from very close by.

"Scarab," she said. "I think we may have been followed."

"What?! Impossible!" he cried. "There was no one at the house except..."

"It was inevitable that the guardians would get to her eventually," Velasca told him. "Apparently, they decided now was the right time."

"How unfortunate for them," Scarab said. "And, how incredibly perfect for our plans. How many do you think there are?"

"I'm not sure," she said, "Ja-Kal is too smart to risk his entire team being caught at once. I think it's just one. What I heard sounded like a phone. Whoever it is must have called for help."

"Too bad it will arrive too late," Scarab gloated. "Should I send my shabties to take care of the problem?"

"No, let me handle this. I enjoy a good fight," she told him.

"Take as long as you need."

*** 

Nefer-Tina waited for Amanda to answer at her end. _Come on_, she silently urged her. _Pick up!_

"Nefer-Tina?" came the voice at the other end. But, instead of the expected one of Amanda, it was Ja-Kal's. He must have taken the phone away from Amanda when she arrived at the Sphinx. And, he sounded uncharacteristically upset.

She felt terrible since she knew she was the cause of his emotional troubles. But, she had had no choice. She _had_ to do this. "It's me, Ja-Kal. I think I found-"

"Thank Ra it's you!" Ja-Kal cut her off. "What do you think you're doing? Why did you go alone?" 

"I'll tell you later in private," she promised him. "Right now, I'm standing across the street from the building where Callisto is holding Presley and Miranda. What do you want me to do?"

"First, where are you located?" he asked, becoming all-business again.

She looked around the area she was in and told him the names of the streets and the addresses of surrounding buildings. "Do you want me to stay here until you and the others arrive?"

"No, I want _you_ to get back here as quickly as possible. I'm putting you out of action until your leg heals," he told her. "That's a direct order." 

"Ja-Kal," she said. "You can't-"

Her sentence went unfinished as a bolt of electricity knocked the phone out of her hand. Ja-Kal's frantic shouts of concern could be heard from where it landed on the concrete. 

Nefer-Tina whirled around to see Velasca standing behind her. She gasped, knowing that she had been caught.

"When I realized we had been followed, I had no idea that it was you," Velasca began, closing the distance between them as she spoke. "However, I'm rather glad it is, since we never seem to be able to finish that little business we started the other day." She walked over to where the still-operational cell phone had landed and crushed it under her heel. The line instantly died. "I think it's time we ended it once and for all." 

Nefer-Tina limped backwards, trying to keep some space between the evil goddess and herself. She started fingering her amulet, preparing to call her armor. 

"I'll take that," Velasca said and with a flick of her hand, Nefer-Tina's amulet ripped from its customary place around her neck and into Velasca's hand. She smiled, "Can't let you call that armor and whip of yours. As much as I usually prefer a fair fight, today I'm not in the mood. So, I'm going to make this short and sweet. Besides, with that leg of yours, you wouldn't be much fun anyway. I'm going to save myself for when your friends arrive. 

"But, I promise you, you'll suffer almost as much as if I hadn't."

  
  



	12. Chapter 30 to Epilogue

Chapter Thirty:

"Nefer-Tina! Nefer-Tina!" Ja-Kal shouted into the phone. There was no response, and suddenly the line went dead. "No..." he murmured to himself.

"What happened? What's going on?" Kait demanded of him. "Where is she?"

"We were cut off," Ja-Kal told her. "She must have been caught. We need to get over to where she is immediately." 

"What's the location?" Matt asked. "Kait and I know this city pretty well."

Ja-Kal told him the area that Nefer-Tina had described. 

"Oh, we know that place," Kait told him. "We can get you there fast."

Ja-Kal nodded at them and then turned to Rath and Armon.

"With the strength of Ra!" the three guardians simultaneously called their armor.

"Rath, you and Armon take the Hot-Ra. Kait, Matt, and Amanda, the three of you go with them," Ja-Kal commanded. He turned to the Tracker of the Gods. "Tia, you transport yourself, Xena, and Gabrielle there." He started moving towards the garage and motioned for the others to follow him. "You have your orders. Let's move!"

Rath, Armon, Amanda, Kait, and Matt followed while Tia glared after Ja-Kal for a moment. Xena and Gabrielle came over to her. 

Xena noticed the expression on Tia's face. "What's with you?"

Tia switched her glare to the Warrior Princess. "I think you know."

Understanding came over Xena. "Oh, I see."

Gabrielle was lost. "What's going on? Xena?"

"Nothing, Gabrielle. Just something between the Tracker and me," Xena told her companion.

Tia remained silent, and in a flash, transported the three of them away.

*** 

Heka had finally managed to find her way into the abandoned building when she saw Callisto coming her way. The goddess was dragging two tied-up figures behind her. She quickly dodged behind some fallen debris as they passed by. 

"The three of us are going to have so much fun," Callisto was saying to her struggling prisoners. "And, after we're done, you, my dear Presley, will never have to worry about having your spirit sucked out of you ever again!"

_Uh-oh!_ Heka gasped. Callisto was apparently not holding up her end of the bargain. This was _not_ good! 

Unfortunately, she would be unable to tell Scarab before he found out for himself. Callisto was already exiting the building.

*** 

Scarab was still sitting in the limousine waiting for Heka to return when he heard a knock on his window. Without looking up, he rolled it down.

"That was rather fast," he commented. "So, Heka, what did you learn?"

"Well, first off, I'm not Heka," giggled the voice of Callisto," but I did learn two very important things! One: you don't keep your promises. And, two: you are too stupid to realize I don't either!"

Scarab's head snapped up. "You! How did you-?" he growled angrily.

Callisto flashed a smile and held out her hand. In it, was the tracking device. "Looks like I was right about you after all!" She giggled again.

Scarab pressed an out-of-sight button that signaled for his shabties and then started to open the car door. However, Callisto put up her hand.

"Uh-uh-uh! Can't have you going anywhere just yet!" She smiled again and pulled Presley closer to her. She gave the boy a kiss on the head. "Not if you want him to stay in one piece, that is."

*** 

Tia, Xena, and Gabrielle rematerialized at their destination. They were the first to arrive on the scene. A quick survey of the area found Velasca viciously kicking a downed Nefer-Tina, while Callisto, along with her prisoners, was keeping Scarab occupied.

"Gabrielle, you and Tia go help Nefer-Tina," Xena said. "I'll go take care of Callisto."

"I'm not helping that whore," Tia told her. "I'm just here to take Velasca and Callisto back to Olympus for trial." 

Xena sighed. "I don't have time to argue with you. You do what you think is your job and I'll do mine."

Gabrielle looked at Tia. "How dare you call yourself an Amazon. You have no honor."

Tia snorted. "I'm a god now. Honor is for mortals. I'm only here to do a job. It's best you remember that, _Queen_ Gabrielle. You stay out of my way and I'll keep out of yours."

Xena headed off in the direction that would take her to Callisto while the two remaining women went towards Velasca.

Tia, who moved faster than Gabrielle, reached her sworn enemy first. "Velasca!" she shouted challengingly. "Stop wasting your time on that pathetic excuse for a warrior and come face me! We have a score to settle!"

Velasca, momentarily forgetting that she was destroying Nefer-Tina, turned to face her most hated opponent. "So, there you are. I've been wondering what happened to you."

"I've been busy," Tia sneered. "But, now I'm ready to pick up where we left off."

"Aren't you missing somebody?" Velasca said, folding her arms. "I noticed Xena's here as well. Still unable to finish a job on your own?"

"Xena's of no concern to you this time," Tia told her. "This is between you and me. Amazon to...Amazon."

"You still claim to be one of us? Gabrielle is more an Amazon than you ever were!" Velasca spat.

"Is that so? Well then, we'll just have to ask Artemis her opinion on the subject when we get back to Olympus. She's seemed quite eager to see you again when she sent me on this mission," Tia told her. 

"Enough talk!," Velasca decided. "Come, Tracker, show me what you're made of! Prove to me that you don't need Xena to rescue you like the last time."

"Ha!" Tia commented. "Xena did nothing but hold me back. As I told you before, if it weren't for her, I'd have killed you. 

"This time, I won't let her get in my way."

*** 

Ja-Kal passed low over the ground, his eyes searching for Nefer-Tina. He wanted to find her and see if she was all right before he did anything else. Although he knew that it shouldn't be, finding her was his top priority.

He circled a few times and finally located her. And the condition that she was in made him gasp in horror. 

He quickly landed beside where Gabrielle was trying to help Nefer-Tina off the ground. Nefer-Tina looked like she had been through hell and back. Her leg was badly broken and her body was covered with bruises and cuts. She was also missing her amulet, which explained why she hadn't called her armor to protect herself. Gabrielle turned to look at him as he came over.

He knelt down. "Here, let me take her."

Gabrielle nodded. "Be careful. She's in bad shape."

Nefer-Tina weakly looked up at him as he took her into his arms. "Ja-Kal..."

"Shh," he said gently. "Don't try to talk. You'll be all right." He turned back to Gabrielle. "Who did this to her?" 

"Velasca," Gabrielle told him. "Tia caught her attention just in time. If we hadn't arrived when we did..."

Ja-Kal nodded silently at her before turning his full attention to the woman he loved. "Why did you go alone? Why didn't you wait for me?" he murmured, smoothing back her matted and tangled hair.

"It was something I had to do," she answered him. "I had to prove to myself that I wasn't a failure; that I was worthy of...your love."

Ja-Kal was shocked to hear her say that. "What do you mean, 'worthy' of my love? Why would you even think such a thing?"

She smiled weakly. "You know why. I'm still that lowly musician who fell in love with the royal hunter."

"Nefer-Tina," he gently chided her, "that doesn't matter to me. I love you for _you_. What can I do to make you understand? You mean everything to me." 

"But, I let our prince down," she protested. "I let him down and I let you down. I'm a disgrace to the team. I don't deserve to be second-in-command anymore. I'm a failure."

He sighed softly. This was Tia's influence. It would take a long time for Nefer-Tina to break free of it, but he intended to be there to help her every step of the way.

"Nefer-Tina, listen to me. You are _not_ a failure. Nor are you a disgrace to the team. Far from it. If anything, you are an asset. I don't know what we'd...I'd...do without you. I am proud to have you as my second-in-command. There is no one else I'd rather have by my side.

"What happened was not your fault. It was an accident. No one blames you for the prince's capture. 

"And, even if you were a failure, which you're not, I'd still feel the same way. Nothing could ever change that," he told her firmly. 

"I love you," she softly told him.

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, careful not to hurt her with his helmet. Then, he gently pulled her up fully into his arms and stood up. He brought her over to a nearby bench and put her down.

He turned to Gabrielle, who had been quietly watching over them. "Stay here and watch over her. I have to go and help the others."

"No, Ja-Kal," Nefer-Tina said, trying to get up from the bench. "Let me help."

"Absolutely not," he told her, sitting down beside her and gently pressing her back down. "You're in no shape to fight." He gestured to her neck. "Besides, you can't transform without your amulet."

Gabrielle came over and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll take care of her."

He stood up. "Thank you."

He ran off to join the others, who had arrived shortly after him, in their battle against the waiting army of shabties.

*** 

"So you see, old man, I can't have you and your sweetie getting in the way of my revenge," Callisto explained to Scarab. "If you two were wreaking havoc and taking over the world, it would be quite difficult to find and torment Xena's family. And, if you had already destroyed their lives, where would that leave me? There'd be nothing left for me to do. Rather selfish of you, don't you think?" 

"Oh, I agree," said a very familiar voice behind her.

Callisto turned and smiled immediately. "Xena! How good of you to join us!"

"But, aren't your plans pretty selfish too?" Xena continued. "I mean, why deny the rest of the world your charming personality? I'm sure they'll appreciate it as much as I have." 

"Xena!" both Presley and Miranda exclaimed happily. 

"Glad to see you too," Xena told them. "You hang tight while Callisto and I have a little chat and reminisce about old times."

"What a lovely idea," Callisto grinned. She pulled out her sword. "Mind if my little friend joins us?"

"Not at all," Xena smiled. "I have a friend too." She drew her own sword.

"I thought you preferred little blonde annoying ones," Callisto replied. 

"Oh, I still like Gabrielle just fine," Xena told her, "but this one really wants to have a talk with you. Just like me." 

"How wonderful!" Callisto gushed. "You know how much I enjoy our time together!"

"I aim to please," Xena told her.

*** 

Amanda, Kait, and Matt were sitting in the Hot-Ra as ordered by Rath. They were not to leave the vehicle for any reason unless told by one of the mummies, Xena, Gabrielle, or Tia.

"This is so unfair!" Kait declared. "Why can't we help? It's our family and friends who are in danger!"

"What could we do?" Amanda asked the agitated girl. "We don't have any skills or weapons. It's best that we stay here."

"And, remember what happened to us the last time we tried to help," Matt pointed out. "I'm still pretty sore from my last attempt at heroics."

"But that was before we knew what we were up against," Kait said. "I say we should be out there doing something."

"Like what?" Matt asked. "Going over to the bad guys and saying 'hey you! we're unarmed, so come and get us!' is not exactly my idea of saving the day!"

"Kait," Amanda said, "think about what you're saying for a minute. If you go out there, you could get yourself killed. How would that be helping Miranda? I understand how you feel. God, I feel the same way. Remember, my _son_ is out there too. I want more than anything to help him, but I know waiting here is probably the best way to do that."

"Ugh!" Kait grunted. "This sucks!"

Matt patted her on the shoulder. "I know, but there's nothing we can do about it."

Kait shook her head. "No! I can't accept that! There has to be something, _anything_ we can do!"

"You keep saying that, but you don't even know yourself," Amanda told her. "You can't walk out there without at least some semblance of a plan."

Kait suddenly opened the car door and jumped out. "Fine! You want a plan? Here's the plan: I'll sneak around until I spot Aunt Miranda and Presley. I'll stay hidden, so there's no need to worry about fighting. Once I find them, I'll watch over them until they get saved. As soon as they get rescued, I hurry back here and none will be the wiser. How's that sound?"

Amanda sighed. "Since I know I can't stop you, I'm not going to let you go alone. I'm coming too." 

Kait smiled. "That's the spirit! How about you, blond-boy? Are you going to let me, your best friend in the entire world, go and face danger like this without a big tough guy by my side?"

Matt rolled his eyes at her. "Have I ever told you how insane you are?" 

"You mean just today or in the last five minutes?" Kait winked at him. "Come on! Let's go find our friends!" 

The three of them ran off in the direction the others had gone in before them.

*** 

Ja-Kal shot at yet another shabtie with his bow and arrows. They seemed to be coming out of thin air. He had never seen so many before at one time. Apparently, Scarab had intended this to be their last battle, positive that the prince's spirit was finally his. Whether the evil sorcerer was right or not had yet to be seen.

He knew Rath and Armon were holding their own against the seemingly endless supply of stone warriors as well. He knew the three of them could have badly used Nefer-Tina's help, but she was in no shape to be doing anything. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Ja-Kal caught a large group of shabties break off and head in the direction he knew Nefer-Tina was in. 

_Oh, no!_ he thought desperately. 

But, there was nothing he could do.

*** 

"Looks like we have company," Gabrielle said. She reached down and removed her sais from her boots. 

Nefer-Tina pushed herself to a sitting position. "Oh, great. And, me without my party clothes." She then tried to stand up. "I need to find my amulet so I can transform."

"You're not going anywhere," Gabrielle reminded her. "Ja-Kal's orders."

"You can't stop them on your own," Nefer-Tina pointed out, struggling only her feet. "Ja-Kal will just have to understand. I'm a guardian of the prince too and it's my job to fight. Just because our personal relationship has changed, it doesn't mean our professional one has as well. Now, tell me if you see my amulet anywhere."

Gabrielle cast her gaze around until she found something. "There! I see it!" She pointed with her finger.

Nefer-Tina looked in the direction Gabrielle pointed. Sure enough, her amulet was lying there on the ground. Velasca must have thrown it down in the midst of their fight. Unfortunately, it happened to be lying directly in the path of the oncoming shabties.

"I'm going to need you to cover me," Nefer-Tina said. "When I say 'now', I want you to run ahead and get their attention. While you're keeping them busy, I'll go and get my amulet. As soon as I call my armor, I'll rejoin you."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Gabrielle asked.

"It's better than nothing," Nefer-Tina told her. "Are you ready?"

Gabrielle balanced the sais in her hands. "Yes."

"Now!" Nefer-Tina shouted as she and Gabrielle took off running. 

Gabrielle was faster and intercepted the first of the oncoming shabties. She stabbed and sliced with her sais and threw kicks as well.

Nefer-Tina went around her, avoiding the shabties and, just as she was about to reach her amulet, she tripped. As she skidded along the pavement, she stretched out her hand and clamped it shut around her amulet. When her body finally stopped its motion, she cried out "With the strength of Ra!" Instantaneously, her body was encased in her armor.

She forced herself onto her feet once more, her whip materializing in her hand. She went to join Gabrielle in the fray. 

*** 

Tia and Velasca clashed swords once again. Neither goddess had gained or lost any ground. They were evenly matched in both their skills and determination to be victorious. Neither wanted to stop until the other was dead.

As Tia fought, Artemis' words came to her once again. This was what the Great Huntress had warned her the most about. Her desire for revenge was overshadowing her true purpose. Her goal was to capture, not destroy, her enemy. 

As she had told herself to control her anger over the situation with the whore and Ja-Kal, she would have to do the same with Velasca. She had yet to deal with Callisto and, from what Xena had told her, that would not be easy. Her mission was to return _both_ of them to Olympus. 

It was a mission she planned on completing. 

*** 

Scarab watched the ongoing battle from the safety of his limousine. Things were not looking good for him. He had no way of getting to the boy since Callisto and that warrior woman, Xena, were blocking his path with their fight. And Velasca was busy fighting someone he was quite sure he had never seen before, though she looked rather familiar. 

Heka, who had rejoined him a short time before, spoke up, "Boss, I think now might be a good time to hit the road."

"I believe you're right, Heka," Scarab agreed. "Both Velasca and Callisto have ultimately proven useless to me. I discovered the true identity of Rapses on my own, without the help of either of them. I can take the spirit and claim my immortality at my own convenience. I no longer have use for either of them." 

"So, it's back to being just the two of us again?" Heka asked innocently, trying to hide her glee at being rid of Velasca. Although Callisto double-crossed Scarab, Heka still thought she was rather amusing. 

"Yes, my dear, it is," Scarab told her. "I take it you like this arrangement better."

Heka didn't know how to answer that, afraid that Scarab wouldn't like her response and punish her for it. But, then again, it would be just like old times again.

"Much better," she finally told him.

To her surprise, Scarab didn't inflict pain on her. Instead, he began to chuckle. "Yes, I think I do too," he said. He leaned forward and knocked on the glass barrier between the front and back sections on the limo. "Driver," he ordered to the shabtie behind the wheel as the glass rolled down, "back to the Pyramid!"

The shabtie silently obeyed and the car raced away from the battle zone.

*** 

The sound of the speeding car caught Velasca's attention.

"Where does that idiot think he's going?" the God of Chaos wondered out loud.

The momentary distraction was all Tia needed. She lashed out with her foot and knocked Velasca's legs out from under her. Velasca fell and made outraged noises.

Tia placed her foot on the small of Velasca's back, keeping her from getting up.

"Looks like I've won again," Tia gloated. "What was that you were saying about needing Xena's help?"

"You'll pay for this," Velasca growled. "I'm not going back into that prison!"

"That's for Zeus and Artemis to decide," Tia told her as she pulled out the wrist binders. "Now try to behave yourself while I deal with your friend."

*** 

Kait, Matt, and Amanda came to a halt as the rounded a corner.

"Look! There's Aunt Miranda and Presley!" Kait informed her companions. "Nobody's watching them. This is even better than I thought! Why don't we grab them while we're here?" 

"Kait! You said we were just going to watch over them!" Matt reminded her.

"Yeah, so? I didn't know that they weren't even being watched! This is the perfect window of opportunity. We should take it and run!" Kait told him.

"Wait," Matt cautioned her. "Check that out."

They all looked to see Xena and Callisto locked in a heated battle. The two women were exchanging blows with swords, fists, and legs. They flipped and made loud war cries. It was fascinating to watch them in action.

"They're too busy to notice us," Kait decided. "Let's go rescue them while we have the chance."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Amanda ventured. "Those stone things could be anywhere."

"We have to chance it," Kait urged. "I don't see any of the mummies or Gabrielle anywhere, which could mean one or two things, and Xena's busy. We are their only hope of rescue right now."

"Let's move," Matt agreed.

Amanda nodded her consent as well.

The three of them gathered their courage and quietly crept up behind their loved ones.

Presley jumped when Amanda put her hand on his back.

"Shh, don't say anything, honey," she soothed him. "We'll have you free in a minute."

"Mom?" Presley could hardly believe it. "What are you doing here?"

"We're rescuing you guys, what's it look like?" Kait put in. "You okay, Aunt Miranda?"

"I'll be fine," Miranda told her. "Are you crazy? Does Ja-Kal know you're doing this?"

"No," Matt answered. "But since he and the others are kind of busy, we thought we'd help."

"We were told to stay in the Hot-Ra. Yeah, right," snorted Kait. "Like anyone can tell me to stay put? Please!"

"That's my Kaity," Matt joked.

"Let's get you out of these ropes," Amanda said to Presley while she began to untie him. 

Kait did the same for Miranda.

Finally, the two captives were released from their bonds.

Amanda threw her arms around Presley. "Oh god, Presley! I was so worried! When you didn't come home..."

Presley hugged her back fiercely. "I was so scared, Mom! I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"

"Come on, you two. We need to blow this joint before the bad guys notice we're running off with their prisoners," Kait interrupted.

*** 

Nefer-Tina and Gabrielle fought against shabtie after shabtie. As they battled the stone warriors, they were slowly moving back towards where the other mummies were fighting.

"I've never seen so many of them," Nefer-Tina commented as she shattered another one with her whip.

Gabrielle slashed at her own opponent. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up."

"Same here," Nefer-Tina said. She looked around and saw her teammates fighting their own battles. She noticed a group of four shabties approaching Armon from behind while he was busy taking care of five others. "Armon, behind you!"

Armon looked behind him just in time to take care of the additional shabties. "Thanks, Nef!" he told her.

Ja-Kal heard Nefer-Tina as well and turned to see her armored up and fighting the shabties. He destroyed the shabtie currently attacking him and rushed over to her. "What are you doing up? I thought I told you to sit this fight out!"

"No, not when you need all the help you can get," she shot back. "I'll be all right. I'm not as fragile as you might think."

"You're as stubborn as an ox," he sighed. 

"You've got that right," she grinned. "I know that's the quality about me you love the most."

*** 

"Callisto," Tia shouted. "It's time to go back where you belong."

Callisto stopped fighting Xena for a moment to turn and look at the newcomer. "Says who?" She gave Tia the once over. "Oh, you. Why don't you go bother Velasca or something? I'm a little busy right now."

"Velasca has been taken care of," Tia said matter of factly. "It's your turn."

Callisto made an annoyed sound and then put on her most winning smile. "Let me get one thing straight with you. No one tells me what to do! _I_ make my own decisions! Got it? And, right now, Xena and I are having a little get together. So, if you wouldn't mind...?"

Tia matched Callisto's smile. "As a matter of fact, I _do_ mind." She turned to Xena. "Go and help the others. I'll take care of this one."

"No!" Callisto screeched. "I'm not done with you yet, Xena!"

"Don't worry," Xena grinned, "I'm not finished with you either. But, it wouldn't be fair of us if we didn't let Tia play for a little while. I'm sure you'll even agree to that, Callisto."

"All right, Xena. Have it your way. I'll give your playmate a try, but then it's just you and me again," Callisto told her. 

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Xena said. "She's all yours, Tracker."

"Thank you," Tia answered, annoyance clearly heard in her voice. She raised her sword towards Callisto. "This shall be interesting. We've never fought before."

"You won't be disappointed," Callisto smiled. "Xena and I are pretty evenly matched. If you're anywhere near as good as she, you'll find me to be quite a challenge.

"If not, well, then, you can't say I didn't warn you."

*** 

Kait, Matt, Miranda, Presley, and Amanda had almost made it out of the battle zone when a group of shabties cut them off.

"Shit!" Kait exclaimed, momentarily forgetting that she was in the presence of a thirteen-year-old. "What do we do now?"

"Um, surrender?" Matt tried.

A familiar _whoosh_ sounded and the shabties were cut down one by one as two metal objects started at each end of the line and moved inward. The two half circles met in the center and rejoined to form Xena's chakram.

"Xena!" they all cried in relief.

"Thanks for the save," Kait greeted her ancestor.

"No problem," Xena waved her off. "Let's get the five of you out of here."

"What about...?" Presley started to ask.

"Velasca's been taken care of and Tia is keeping Callisto busy at the moment," Xena explained. "Scarab apparently ran off to nurse his wounded pride since his scheme failed. The others are just involved with cleaning up the remaining mud men back there."

*** 

"You're good," Tia conceded. "I can see why Xena considers you such a worthy adversary."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Callisto told her. "I..." she trailed off, her attention turned onto something behind Tia. "Well, well, it looks like Xena is trying to strand me with you."

Tia turned around and saw Xena along with the two escaping prisoners and the other civilians. "Smart move. She knows that your days in this time are numbered. You're coming with me today whether you like it or not."

"Oh, I don't think so," Callisto said, wagging her finger. "Catch me if you can!"

Callisto began to laugh and disappeared in a burst of flame.

"Damn!" Tia cursed.

*** 

Xena was herding her charges back to the Hot-Ra when she heard Kait cry out. She stopped and turned to find Callisto holding the helpless girl tightly in her arms.

"Thought you could get away without saying goodbye, Xena?" Callisto asked, clicking her tongue disapprovingly. "That's very rude!"

"Let her go, Callisto. The girl means nothing to you," Xena said.

"She's your descendant, isn't she?" 

Xena remained silent.

"But that makes her _so_ important to me," Callisto assured her. "You see, I intend to do to you what you did to me. One family in exchange for another. It makes good sense, don't you think?"

"You already tried that once and it didn't work very well for you," Xena tried to reason with her. "Solan's death didn't ease your pain."

"Ah, but things are a little different now. Remember, I didn't do the honors myself. Gabrielle's pathetic spawn did it for me. And, that took out the satisfaction from the kill.

"Another thing I didn't have was a family to share my victory with," Callisto grinned. "Miranda, dear, you weren't thinking of abandoning me just yet were you?"

"Go to hell," Miranda spat.

"Just got back from there. Not a nice place," Callisto smiled. 

Just then, the four mummies and Tia arrived on the scene.

"Release the girl and turn yourself in, Callisto," Tia demanded. "You're the only one left fighting. Your companions have abandoned you."

Callisto snorted. "You think I was actually working with _them_? Please! I could care less about their little take-over-the-world scheme.

"In fact, they were in my way. Thanks to you, I'm actually in a better position to have my revenge. As long as Scarab doesn't have the boy, he can't take over the world, now can he?" Callisto went on. 

She began to pace, pulling Kait with her. "Hmm, I think I'm beginning to see a pattern here." She motioned to the guardians. "As long as the boy lives, Scarab is going to want to take his spirit. If Scarab gets the spirit, he becomes and immortal and takes over the world. If Scarab takes over the world, all my wonderful plans get ruined. So, I just see one way to make sure I get to have my revenge." 

Suddenly, she pushed Kait roughly to the ground and pointed her hand directly at Presley. 

"Eliminate the possibility of Scarab getting his immortality once and for all."

*** 

As soon as Nefer-Tina realized what was about to happen, she didn't even stop to think. She just acted. 

She took a running start as Callisto shot a huge blast of energy at Presley. She flung herself in front of the young prince just in time to take the full force of the blast directly in the chest. 

"Nefer-Tina! No!" Ja-Kal shouted.

The energy slammed into her so hard that it lifted her into the air. Her screams of pain echoed off the surrounding buildings. As the energy dissipated, her armor vanished and she was dropped to the ground. She fell hard and remained motionless.

The prince had been saved, but at what cost?

Chapter Thirty-One:

An empty silence fell over the remaining participants in the deadly game that had just been played out. The events of the final moments had taken everyone by total shock. No one had expected Callisto to turn on Presley as she did. Her attack and Nefer-Tina's reflexive action had both happened so fast that no one knew how to immediately react. 

Callisto was the one to finally break through the quiet. She uttered a scream of pure outrage. Another of her perfect plans had been ruined. Why did this always happen to her? Why?!

Before she could even attempt to try anything else, Callisto felt her arms roughly grabbed and pulled behind her. Cold chains were then wrapped tightly around her wrists. She began to struggle but found herself shoved painfully to the ground.

"I wouldn't try to escape if I were you," Tia coldly told her. "Very stupid move back there. Never attack when you should be running away. I thought you said you were a good fighter."

Callisto didn't bother to make a comment and looked up to see Xena standing in front of her. She smiled. "Xena! Are you going to let her talk to me like that?"

"Afraid I can't do a thing about it," Xena said. "She's in charge of what happens to you now. You're _her_ prisoner."

"Well, aren't you just a dear?" Callisto snorted sarcastically. "I'll be sure to remember that the next time we see each other. And, believe me, there _will_ be a next time."

"We'll see," Xena said evenly. "We'll see."

*** 

The rest of the group slowly snapped back to reality as the shock began to wear off. Ja-Kal was the first to pull himself together. He recalled his armor and rushed to where Nefer-Tina was lying lifelessly on the ground. Armon and Rath powered down as well, but kept their distance. They both knew Ja-Kal needed to be left alone for the moment.

"She saved us all," Armon said sadly.

*** 

Ja-Kal knelt down on the ground and pulled Nefer-Tina's still body into his arms. He gently caressed her cheek as he checked her condition. She did not appear to be breathing.

"No. No," he softly said, clutching her tightly to him. He felt the tears forming in his eyes and did not care one way or the other if they fell. So what if the others saw him cry? He was strong, but he was still human. The woman he loved had given her life to save another. The pain he felt over her loss was indescribable. 

It just wasn't fair. Nefer-Tina had suffered so long because of the love she felt for him. Why, after all she had gone through, did this have to happen now? Why, after he'd finally told her how he felt for her, did she have to die? It was a cruel twist of fate.

He broke down and sobbed.

*** 

Few things surprised Presley anymore, but the sight of Ja-Kal crying was now on top of the list. Ja-Kal, his brave and tough head guardian, was crying. He was crying over the death of Nefer-Tina.

Presley had known for some time that Ja-Kal had a thing for Nefer-Tina. And that Nefer-Tina had it even worse for him. It was one of those really obvious things that you couldn't miss. He just had no idea how serious it was, especially the way Ja-Kal always talked about how much he missed his family. But, after having met Tia, Presley couldn't really blame him for liking another woman. That goddess was seriously wacked!

Presley felt his own tears running down his face. Although Nefer-Tina was his guardian, she had always been more like a friend. Even though she was a girl, she understood him better than the others. And her understanding and taking to the modern world had never ceased to amaze him. Things would never be the same without her.

He would miss her terribly.

*** 

Amanda heard Presley sniffling and went over to him. She wrapped her arms around him and just held him tightly while he cried.

"Sh-she saved me," he told her. "It's not fair."

"I know, baby, I know," she tried to soothe him. She hadn't met these four individuals until this morning, but Presley had known them for over a year. They were his guardians and friends. The loss of one was devastating to him. 

In the short time she had known Nefer-Tina, even when she was in her disguise, she had noticed something special about the woman. Amanda had witnessed first-hand her selflessness and bravery. Presley must have felt especially close to her because he hardly cried anymore. He hadn't really cried since his father left all those years ago.

As she held Presley, she looked over to where Ja-Kal was grieving in much the same way as her son. Just watching him, it became painfully obvious that Nefer-Tina had meant much more to him than only a teammate and friend. There had been clues she had noticed all along, beginning when she had first arrived at the Sphinx with the news of what had happened at her house. Ja-Kal's reaction to what Nefer-Tina had been doing had spoken volumes.

He was in love with her. 

Suddenly, she felt a gentle tapping on her shoulder. She looked up to see Rath standing next to her, looking concerned.

"How is the young prince?" he asked quietly.

"Sad and upset," Amanda told him, "but otherwise unharmed. Whatever happened during his captivity, it didn't injure him."

"Callisto did not have much use for him until the very end," Rath commented.

Amanda smoothed Presley's hair back. "I wish I could comfort him better. I only met all of you for the first time today. I didn't know her like you and he did," she sadly said. "But, from what I did know of her, she seemed like a very special person. Were she and Presley close?"

"Young Rapses was very fond of her," Rath told her. "At times, she acted very much like a child and that made it easy for the boy to relate to her. 

"She was genuinely liked by everyone," he continued. "Although I found her to be annoying and, as I said before, childish most of the time, those were two of her most charming qualities. She has always been a strong asset to our team. And, a good friend."

"Ja-Kal seems to have taken this the hardest," Amanda said. "Were they...?"

"Lovers?" Rath supplied. "As far as anyone knew, no, but they did love each other deeply from afar."

"They didn't tell each other? Why?" Amanda asked, curious.

"There were many reasons, I suppose," Rath began slowly, "but-" 

"Look!" Armon excitedly broke in as he came over. As the three of them turned to him, he pointed. 

*** 

Ja-Kal was still holding Nefer-Tina against him when he felt her slightly move. His eyes shot open and he gently laid her back down to his lap. _Could it be?_

She began to groan softly and her eyes slowly opened. "Ugh! Did someone get the number of that pyramid that was dropped on my head?"

She looked up and the first thing her eyes focused on was Ja-Kal. His eyes were red and his face was streaked with tears. She reached up and gingerly touched his wet cheek.

He had been crying. 

"What happened? What's wrong?" she asked, concerned. She searched his face. "Ja-Kal, what is it? " 

It took him a moment to find his voice. "I-I thought I'd lost you. I thought you..." He couldn't finish the sentence."

"What?" she asked, confused. "Ja-Kal, talk to me. What did you think?" Her hand stayed where it was on his cheek.

He took his own hand and covered hers, holding it in place. "After Callisto tried to kill Presley and you...you... Oh, gods, Nefer-Tina, you were so still! I was so afraid..." The tears began to roll once again.

Finally, she realized what he meant. Her eyes widened first in surprise, then in comprehension. "No... Ja-Kal... Oh, gods..." 

Ja-Kal took her hand from his cheek and placed it over his mouth where he kissed it lightly before placing it against his chest. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Nefer-Tina's eyes began to moisten. "I'll never leave you," she told him. She smiled at him lovingly. "Not without a good reason, that is," she teased.

He smiled despite himself. "Is that so?"

"Oh, definitely," she told him. "You should know by now that you can't get rid of me so easily. You're stuck with me," 

"Good," he agreed, "because I wouldn't have it any other way." With that, he leaned down and kissed her deeply. After they separated, he said, "I love you."

"And I love you," she replied.

*** 

The rest of the gathered group watched the loving reunion in a relieved and happy silence. 

"I guess they told each other after all," Amanda commented to Rath.

"That's so beautiful!" Armon sniffed. "It's making me hungry!"

"Armon!" Presley and Rath said together.

"What?"

*** 

Kait and Matt stood together, holding each other tightly. They had turned to each other for comfort when they believed their mutual friend was dead.

"Isn't that romantic?" Kait commented as they watched Nefer-Tina and Ja-Kal interact with each other.

"Yeah," Matt agreed. "Ja-Kal must have been that mystery guy she was telling us about. I wonder what finally got her to tell him? She was so against ever letting him know."

"Maybe he told her first," Kait speculated. "From the way he's been acting, I'd say he's had it as bad for her as she had it for him. I'm surprised she never noticed."

"Um, speaking of never noticing things," Matt began nervously, "there's something I've, um, been wanting to tell you."

Kait gave him a look. "What do you mean by 'never noticing things'? Are you implying that I don't notice anything?"

"No, no!" Matt said quickly, backing up from her. "That's not what I meant!"

Kait crossed her arms. "You have lousy timing. You know that? So, what did you mean?"

He shifted nervously on his feet. "Well, you know how we've been best friends since, what, we were little kids and that we could always pick up on each other's moods and stuff."

"Yeah, that's true," she acknowledged.

"And, we became more like family than friends," he continued.

"You got that right, blond-boy," she grinned. "So, what point are you trying to make?"

"Well, in the past few months, I've, uh, begun feeling differently about, well, you and..." he trailed off, unsure of how to put what he had to say.

"Wait, wait, wait," Kait interrupted him. "If you're trying to say what I think you're trying to say, I have a very good explanation for why I didn't notice it."

Matt looked surprised, but continued anyway. "Um, well, for the last couple of months things have started to change. I still think of you as my best friend, but the way I _feel_ for you has gone way beyond that. Kait, I think I've fallen in love with you." 

Instead of the expected surprised reaction, Kait did something unexpected. She punched him hard in the arm.

"Ow! Kaity, I'm-"

"You jerk!" she exclaimed, cutting off anything he was about to say. "The only reason I haven't noticed was that I was busy trying to hide _my_ feelings from _you_! I've fallen in love with you!"

Matt was completely thrown for a loop. Of everything he had been expecting, Kait being in love with him too had not been one of them. "I...uh...wow...I..." he stammered.

"Come here, loser boy, and let me show you what I think of you and your timing," Kait grinned as she grabbed him by the shirt. She proceeded to pull him to her and planted a firm kiss on his lips.

When she finally let him go, all he could say was "Whoa!"

Kait put her hands on her hips. "'Whoa'? Not very articulate today, are we?" 

Matt grinned. "Hey, you took my breath away with that kiss! It was the only thing I could manage to say!"

Kait smiled back. "Okay, good enough!"

"It's about time you two got your act together," Miranda said coming over. "I was beginning to think you'd never figure it out."

"Aunt Miranda!" Kait pouted. "You promised you wouldn't say anything!"

"That was before you made it official," she pointed out. "I didn't say a word until right now."

"She made you keep it a secret too, huh?" Nefer-Tina commented as she and Ja-Kal joined them. She was leaning heavily against him for support. She turned to Matt. "I told you there was a special girl waiting for you," she teased him. 

Kait kissed Matt on the cheek. "See, even she thinks I'm special!" she told him. 

"Oh, you're special, all right," Xena added as she rejoined the group. "You're a member of my family, aren't you?"

"Xena, where's Tia?" Gabrielle asked. 

"She took Callisto and Velasca back to Olympus," Xena told her. "She said she'd be back to get us within an hour or so."

"Did she say anything else?" Ja-Kal wanted to know.

Xena turned to him. "No, she didn't. She seemed completely focused on getting those two back where they belong. If anything was bothering her, she didn't mention it."

Ja-Kal nodded, understanding what she was implying. He knew Tia was still furious about last night. The fact that she had not said anything yet either meant she was waiting for the right moment to confront him or she was going to pretend like it never happened. 

"I think it's time that we all returned to the Sphinx," Ja-Kal told the group. "We need to decide what our next move is going to be."

*** 

Heka slithered into Scarab's office where he was sitting at his desk reading. He was acting strangely calm considering the major defeat he had just suffered. The usual explosion had yet to come. She wondered if he was feeling well.

Scarab noticed her entrance. "Ah, Heka. There you are."

The calm, controlled tone of his voice sent a shiver down to the tip of her tail. "You need something, boss?"

"Not at the moment," he told her. He peered at the snake. "Is anything wrong? You seem...nervous."

_Uh-oh!_ she thought. "Uh, no! I'm not nervous!" she protested.

Scarab smiled slyly. "You're no doubt wondering why I am in such a good mood considering my loss this afternoon. Is that right?"

Heka nodded slowly. He was on to her and, if there was a punishment coming, she had no way to escape it.

"You seem to forget that I now know Rapses' true identity," Scarab told her. "And, he and his guardians know it. His spirit is as good as mine. He can no longer hide from me."

"But, won't he still try to hide from you?" Heka asked.

"I have no doubt of it," Scarab told her, "but he cannot stay hidden forever. He may try to change his name and his appearance, but he can't rid himself of who he really is. And, I have many resources that will help me track him down.

"Harris Stone has several friends in high places that will be eager to do him a few favors."

Scarab began to laugh evilly as Heka nodded to herself. Maybe things were not as bad as they seemed.

Maybe victory would still ultimately be theirs.

*** 

"What are we going to do?" Amanda sighed, holding her head in her hands. "We can't risk going back to the house because Scarab may have it under surveillance. Everything we own is in that house. What happens to us now?"

"It'll be okay, Mom," Presley tried to comfort her. "We'll think of something. Right, guys?"

"We have some decisions to make," Ja-Kal said. "Scarab has an advantage over us now. He knows your name and who your mother is. He knows where she works and was able to find where you live. It won't be long before he even finds out what school you attend."

"And I can't take the chance of returning to the museum because Scarab may be there," Amanda said. "I'll need to find a new job." 

"How about they move into my place?" Kait suggested. "I'll just move in with Matt. I don't think Scarab actually ever knew about us. That was Callisto's hobby."

"That only leaves finding Presley a new school," Miranda said. "It's late in the school year, but it can be done."

"Hey, school's no problem," Presley declared. "I'll just stop going!"

"That is out of the question, young Rapses," Rath sniffed. "Without education, you can never hope to reach your full potential."

"All I ever reach there is total boredom," Presley grumbled under his breath.

"The only problem with any of this is the fact that I'm pretty well-known around the city," Amanda pointed out. "A great deal of my work for the museum involved public relations and the majority of it was high profile. There's a large possibility I'd be recognized wherever I went." 

"I think your best chance would be to leave San Francisco altogether," Xena spoke up. "Go someplace where it is unlikely Scarab will ever find you and start over. Perhaps even change your names."

"Leave San Francisco?" Rath repeated. "Are you serious? Do you realize how difficult such an undertaking would be?"

"I have to agree with Xena," Ja-Kal said. "This city is no longer safe for our prince. We must bring him someplace out of Scarab's reach."

"We are perfectly safe from him in the Sphinx," Rath insisted. "The prince and his mother can stay here with us."

"What kind of life is that?" Nefer-Tina put in. She was sitting on the stone couch next to Ja-Kal, her broken leg propped up. Kahti was sitting curled up in her lap, purring. "How can Presley reach, as you put it, his full potential if he spends all his time trapped in here? Besides, once Scarab notices that Presley and his mother have dropped out of sight, he will start looking everywhere for them, including here."

"She has a good point," Gabrielle said. "No place in this city will be safe for very much longer."

"But, what about my friends?" Presley interjected. "I can't just leave without saying goodbye. I probably won't ever see them again." He looked at his mother. "What about Dad? Won't he worry if he can't find us?"

Amanda fell silent for a moment. "Presley, honey, I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't think your father is going to be around for a while."

"What? Why?" Presley asked, surprised. His surprise quickly changed to uncertainty. "I thought you hadn't heard from him."

Amanda took her son's hands in hers. "I haven't been honest with you. I did hear from your father. Well, not _from_ him exactly, but about him. He's been put in prison."

"What?!"

"Dad was caught trying to smuggle artifacts from a museum in Brazil out of the country," Amanda explained. "I'm sorry. I should have told you."

"Not again," Presley muttered. "He promised he'd stop."

It was Amanda's turn to be taken by surprise. "He's done something like that before? And, you knew about it?"

"It was the first time he came to visit last year," Ja-Kal told her. "Do you remember the Crown of Ramses?"

"Yes, I was in charge of that exhibit," Amanda nodded. "The crown disappeared but, Presley and Paul... Of course! I should have put it together sooner! How else would he have had it in his possession? I never really thought about it until now. I was just so glad to be able to finish the exhibit." 

"Your former husband has his faults, but he loves Presley very much," Nefer-Tina told her. 

"Back to the topic at hand, Rath was onto something when he mentioned that the move would be difficult," Miranda said. 

"Thank you," Rath said.

"The four of you need to recharge in your sarcophagi every day," she continued. "That means, you would have to bring them with you and have them accessible at all times. They are very large and you are limited into what they will fit."

"How about a camper?" Matt suggested. "Or a trailer? They have plenty of space in the back. You could carry them like that."

"Hey, not bad for a blond," Kait winked at him. She grinned at Miranda and Gabrielle. "No offense."

"I don't know exactly where we could go," Amanda interjected. "All my family is here in California. I've never really been out of state except on business trips."

"Good, so no one will know you," Xena told her. "That is a very good first step."

"What about getting new identifications?" Presley asked. "Isn't that illegal?"

"Unfortunately, yes," his mother told him, "but what other choice do we have?"

"Janice Covington, one of my bosses and Matt's grandmother, has a few shady connections that might be able to help with that," Miranda said. "She could get new i.d.s for all of you." She looked at Ja-Kal. "Your team would be able to blend in better that way. With the right disguises, the four of you can function as normal people."

"Nefer-Tina pulled it off for six months," Kait agreed. "She went to school with us and we had no clue that she was, well, dead."

"She was also able to hold a job," Ja-Kal nodded. "I observed her at work. The make-up she wore made her indistinguishable from normal people." 

"I think I can get enough of the make-up to last for at least a year or so," Nefer-Tina said. "For each of us, I mean. It would be expensive, but I can pull it off."

"This whole move will be expensive," Amanda said, "but I think we can do it. I have several thousand dollars in the bank under my name and Presley has a college fund I can pool from."

"I've got money you can use as well," Nefer-Tina said. "It was for my tuition, but since I'm not going to be able to attend school anymore..." She shrugged. "I have a few thousand."

"A few thousand?" Presley couldn't believe it. "What kind of job did you have, Nef? Did it involve robbing banks or something?"

"Singing," she smiled. "Just singing."

"For real? I didn't know you could sing," Presley said. "Cool."

Just then, there was a bright flash of light in the middle of the room. 

Tia had returned.

*** 

Ja-Kal felt Nefer-Tina tense up next to him. He put his arm around her and pulled her closer, lightly kissing her cheek. "It will be all right," he softly told her.

She nodded slowly. "I hope so," she replied.

"I promise I won't let her hurt you anymore."

*** 

"Xena, it is time for you and Gabrielle to return home," Tia said. "Say your good-byes quickly and we will be on our way." 

Xena stood up and motioned for Gabrielle to do the same. The warrior woman walked over to Tia. "We'll take as long as we need. I assume you are going to put us back exactly when and where you got us?"

"That is correct," Tia nodded. "You will also not remember any of this experience."

"What? Why?" Gabrielle protested. 

"It's very simple," Tia told her. "Your actions in the past helped to create this future. The knowledge you have now could cause you to behave differently in your life and consequently change everything. That cannot be allowed to happen."

"But I-" Gabrielle started to say, but Xena cut her off.

"I think Gabrielle wanted to record our adventure in her scrolls," Xena explained. "She has written down just about all of the ones we've had in the past five years. Not writing about this one will be difficult for her since she takes her job as a bard quite seriously." 

"Funny that you should say that since you've never read my scrolls!" Gabrielle complained. 

Xena shook her head. "I say one little thing and you never let it go! Gods, I thought we were dying at the time!"

"Xena, we _did_ die!"

"I rest my case," Xena said as she went over to Matt and Kait. The two of them stood up.

"It was such an honor to meet you," Kait said, hugging her ancestor tightly. "You've always been a role model for me." 

Xena hugged her back. "I'm proud to know that my family has produced such a fine young woman like you. You give me hope for the future." She let go of Kait and turned to Matt. "Come here," she said and hugged him too. "You take good care of her, you hear me?"

"Will do," Matt told her as he embraced her.

Gabrielle took her turn hugging both of them.

"Well, I definitely see where Granny Janice got her looks," Matt commented as he finished hugging Gabrielle. 

Gabrielle smiled and laughed. 

"Thanks for everything," Kait told both of them.

Presley jumped up from his place next to his mother and bounded over to where Xena and Gabrielle were standing. "Thank you both so much! You two are so awesome! It was really cool getting to meet you!"

Xena leaned down and gave him a hug. "I'm just glad we were able to help keep you safe. You're a good kid."

Gabrielle hugged him next and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You're pretty cute too. I'm sure in a couple years the girls will be all over you!"

Presley blushed. "Aww, Gabrielle!"

Xena smiled wickedly at Gabrielle. "I think you've got another one. How do you do it?"

"Beats me," she shrugged. "Maybe you should ask Joxer."

"I might do that," Xena grinned as she walked over to where Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina were seated together. Ja-Kal started to stand up, but she put out her hand. "I know that you want to thank me for all my help and that you couldn't have done it without me. But, before you say that, let me point out that Nefer-Tina is the one who ultimately saved the prince.

"She saved Amanda, led us to where Callisto had taken both Presley and Miranda, and she almost gave up her life to save another. I did very little in comparison."

"No, that's not true," Nefer-Tina protested. "I only did-"

Xena cut her off by putting out her hand again. "You only did your duty. Maybe, but what you did was something very few people are willing to do. You followed your heart and did what you knew was right. And that makes you a truer hero than anything."

She turned back to Ja-Kal. "She's a very special woman. Show her the love she deserves and make her happy."

"I intend to," Ja-Kal promised. 

"You'd better, or I'll be back to teach you a lesson," Xena told him, meaning every world. She reached down and gave Kahti a couple of swift strokes. She turned back to Tia, "We're ready."

"In a moment," Tia said. "I have a few things to say as well."

Xena nodded and gestured with her hand. "Be my guest. I'd suggest watching what you say, though."

"You don't need to suggest anything," Tia told her. "I know what I'm doing."

"Let me be the judge of that," Xena said, crossing her arms.

Tia didn't bother to answer her. Xena was not a threat to her anymore. Her mission had been completed. 

She then strode directly up to where Nefer-Tina was sitting and stood in front of her.

Ja-Kal protectively pulled Nefer-Tina closer to him. Nefer-Tina felt frozen with fear.

"I'm not letting you hurt her anymore," Ja-Kal told Tia.

Tia let out a small harsh laugh. "I haven't said a word yet and you are already jumping to protect her. I can't seem to remember if you were the same way with me when I was your wife. We had so little time together."

She looked at Nefer-Tina directly. "This is very difficult for me to say, but I'm going to say it anyway. What you did today was one of the most incredible acts of bravery and self-sacrifice I have ever seen in all my years as both mortal and goddess. You acted without any thought for yourself. You did what you had to to save the boy. You behaved like a true Amazon warrior.

"I still can't forgive you for what you did to me in the past. Nothing you can do will ever change that. I still hate you like no other. And, to see you with him enrages me in a way I can't describe.

"But, you have done something few have ever done. You have earned my respect as a fellow warrior. 

"If we ever meet again, it will be as equals."

"Th-thank you," Nefer-Tina slowly managed, surprise and shock in her voice. Tia's words were completely unexpected. Tia respected _her_? It was such an odd thought that she almost laughed.

Tia inclined her head and turned back to Ja-Kal for a moment. "I think I see now why you fell in love with her." Having said her piece, she turned and walked away. 

It had taken all the self-control she had to bring herself to speak to Nefer-Tina for those few moments. The hatred and disgust she felt for the woman were as strong as ever, but different. There was the possibility that she had been wrong about her and that bothered Tia more than she cared to admit.

She went back over to where Xena and Gabrielle were waiting. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Xena said. "Take us home."

And in a flash of light, they were gone.

Epilogue:

It was a cool, breezy morning as Nefer-Tina stepped outside the trailer that had been her home for the last three months. They had stopped to spend a couple of days in the Red Rock Canyon National Reservation Area of Nevada. Ja-Kal had decided that they all needed a break from the endless driving, and camping was much safer than staying in a hotel. Everyone easily agreed to the idea and Nefer-Tina was especially grateful for the rest, since she had been doing most of the driving.

She walked over to the picnic table that the camping grounds provided and sat down facing away from the table. She gazed out at the gorgeous scenery of the canyon. The view was incredibly breathtaking, awe-inspiring, yet completely relaxing at the same time. She could have stayed there forever.

Her mind wandered back over the past three months. Everything had happened so fast once they decided to leave San Francisco. Miranda, Kait, and Matt had helped in ways they could never hope to fully repay. She missed them, but knew it was too dangerous to communicate with them until they finally settled down somewhere and established themselves under their new identities. 

Matt's Granny Janice had come through and gotten them all fake identifications that were so authentic looking that only a trained eye could tell the difference. Nefer-Tina had kept the name "Tina Niles" since she already had a small history that could be verified. Presley and Amanda were now "Christopher and Elizabeth Butler" from Washington state. "Elizabeth" was a widow and her only family was her son "Chris". 

Ja-Kal had been assigned the name "Jack Hunter". "Jack" for obvious reasons and the "Hunter" since that was what he was in Egypt. This was the same method for naming Rath and Armon as well. The closest sounding name to Rath was "Ralph" and "Wright" because he had been a scribe. Armon was easy to match, and Janice's friend immediately decided on the name "Armand." The surname "Armstrong" was chosen because he had been a career soldier and fighter in the service of his pharaoh. 

She sighed softly. She was so tired of running. She had spent her whole short life doing so; first from Tia, then from her family, and finally from her own life. As a mummy, she had at last created a small world in which she could be herself. She had friends, family, and a love that few could ever hope to experience. Now, that world had been shattered and she was fleeing once again.

But, it was different this time. This time she was not alone. Her family-her _new_ family-was with her. They were all running together, with no true destination, just the hope that Scarab would never find them. Their goal was to reach the east coast within the year and find someplace where they could start over as a group. Then the running would finally be over. 

She was so lost in thought that she did not notice someone sit down next to her. Suddenly, she felt an arm slip around her waist. She was startled by the touch and tried to jump up from the bench.

"It's all right. It's all right," came the calming voice of Ja-Kal. He pulled her closer to him. "It's just me." He put his other arm around her as well.

She stopped her struggling and relaxed against him. 

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I shouldn't have done that." He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"No, it's all right," she told him. "I was just thinking about things and you startled me. No harm done. I should have been paying more attention."

He stroked her hair. "What were you thinking about?"

"Lots of things," she said. "The past three months. My life. Us."

He felt guilty. He had been so busy trying hold everyone together that he hadn't been paying much attention to the one he loved the most. "I'm so sorry that we haven't had any time alone together. I know I've been unfair to you."

"No," she told him, shaking her head. "No, you haven't. You've been doing the only thing you can at a time like this. You've been the strong leader we've all needed. You've kept us together for this long. You've kept the prince safe. That's all that matters."

"Not to me," he replied. "_You_ are more important to me. I love you." He leaned down again and kissed her on the lips.

She smiled and cupped her hand around his face. "Really? Whatever happened to putting duty first? Or is that some other uptight mummy named Ja-Kal?" she teased him.

He laughed. "Am I really all that bad?"

She kissed him playfully. "The worst, but I love you anyway."

"What are you doing up so early?" he asked, changing the subject. "I'd think you'd be exhausted from the long drive yesterday."

"I am," she answered truthfully, "but I couldn't sleep anymore. So I got up and thought I'd spend some time alone just taking in the peacefulness of this place."

"Do you mind the company?" he asked her seriously. "I could go if you want to be alone."

"Don't be silly," she told him. "I'm glad you're here. You know how much I enjoy your company. Like you said, we haven't had any time alone like this. Now's our chance to make up for it."

For a moment, neither of them spoke another word. Slowly, they moved towards each other and kissed again, taking their sweet time.

After they parted, Ja-Kal said, "As long as we're alone, there's something I've been meaning to show you since before we left." He removed one hand from its place around her and reached behind him onto the table. When he brought it back, he was holding a small box. "I bought this for you."

A look of surprise crossed her face. "You...bought something for..._me_?" She couldn't believe it. She took box from him. "Oh, Ja-Kal. No one's ever gotten anything for me before. Thank you." She smiled at him, tears in her eyes.

"Open it," he gently commanded.

She nodded and fingered the small item. It appeared to be a jewelry box, but she doubted that that was what was inside. He wouldn't have spent too much money since they needed as much as they could carry for their traveling, but she didn't mind. It was the thought that counted. Carefully, she opened it and almost fainted when she saw what it contained within.

It was the opal necklace she had admired in the jewelry store.

"Oh, Ja-Kal!" she cried out. She looked up at him, crying openly now. "When? How?"

"I went with Matt two days before we left," he told her. "He wanted to buy something for Kait and I asked if I could go with him."

"But, how did you afford it?" She still couldn't believe he had bought it for her. He had spent a considerable amount of time lecturing them on the importance of saving their money. The fact that he had gone against his own advice told her how much he truly loved her.

He smiled. "There was just enough money left over from what we had put aside for initial supplies. I asked our prince if it was all right if I used it for a personal matter and he said it was fine." He took the open box from her hand. "I wanted you to have something special. Just to show you how much you mean to me." He gently removed the necklace from the box. He gestured for her to turn around. "Here, let me." 

She twisted her body around on the bench, lifting her hair as she had done in the jewelry store that day.

Ja-Kal put the necklace on her and kissed her neck just above where the clasp rested against her skin.

She turned around to face him, letting her hair cascade down her back, and he kissed her on the lips. They wrapped their arms around each other, lost in the moment, their love the only reality for them.

The road ahead would not be easy for them or their companions, but one thing was for certain: their love would survive no matter what the future had in store for them.

Together they could make it through anything.

  
  


** The End **

  
  



End file.
